UAW Plant Chairman Confirms Ford Ranger, Bronco Revival in Trump Comments

by Steph Willems

Published: September 30th, 2016

uaw plant chairman confirms ford ranger bronco revival in trump comments

Will they, or won’t they? That’s the question nagging the minds of Ford Ranger and Bronco fans as they patiently await an official announcement from the automaker on the models’ return.

The Blue Oval will only confirm that two new products will take the place of the soon-to-depart Focus and C-Max at the Michigan Assembly Plant. However, in response to Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump’s recent comments about Ford, the plant’s UAW chairman identified those products to the Detroit Free Press.

As plant chairman for UAW Local 900, Bill Johnson represents workers at the Wayne, Michigan facility. He took exception to Trump’s recent claim that Ford was moving jobs south of the border to Mexico. Indeed, the automaker’s small car production is headed south — it’s the destination of choice for many automakers looking to free up domestic plants for higher-profit vehicles.

Still, Johnson argued, those Michigan jobs won’t disappear.

“We hate to see the products go to Mexico, but with the Ranger and the Bronco coming to Michigan Assembly that absolutely secures the future for our people a lot more than the Focus does,” Johnson told Freep.

Aha. Ford remains tight-lipped on future products, but we give thanks to those who blab.

The Focus and C-Max head to Mexico by 2018, at which point a pickup and SUV based on it will appear, likely as 2019 models. Ford promised the new product during last year’s UAW negotiations.

After vacating the North American market for years, the Ranger nameplate will return on a midsize pickup built on global architecture. That market segment has recently grown too hot for Ford to ignore.

While there’s no mystery as to the dimensions and layout of the Ranger, much speculation surrounds the Bronco. Will it be offered in a two-door? Can we expect a removable top? When O.J. gets out, will he return to the brand? Bronco fans, including TTAC’s managing editor, need to know.

#Ford #FordBronco #FordRanger #FutureModels #MichiganAssemblyPlant #ProductPlanning #Uaw

Steph Willems

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8 of 115 comments

Lorenzo on Oct 01, 2016

People expecting another Ranger-sized Ranger might be disappointed. The old Ranger was about the size of a 1955 F-100, but I suspect the new Ranger will be larger. The money is now in extended cab and four door pickups with options no one dreamed of in 1955 (or 1985).

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- JimZ on Oct 01, 2016
  
  I own an "old" (PN150) Ranger, and have driven the new one. Your size comparisons are grossly inaccurate.
  
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Drzhivago138 on Oct 01, 2016

I'll just leave this here for posterity: 2011 Ranger SuperCab/6' bed 4x4: Wheelbase: 125.9" Overall length: 203.6" Height: 67.7" Width: 71.3" T6 Ranger 4x4: WB: 127" (+0.87%) OAL: 211" (+3.63%, and 6.3 of those 7.4 extra inches went to front overhang) H: 71.5" (+5.61%, and also the dimension that contributes most to the perception of size) W: 72.8" (+2.10%) When the T6 Ranger comes over here, it'll almost certainly get a beefier-looking front end like the Colorado, which might add a little more front overhang.

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- Scoutdude on Oct 01, 2016
  
  the T6 Ranger is not coming over here, it will be a new truck. So it is up in the air as to what the actual dimensions will be.
  
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- Drzhivago138 on Oct 01, 2016
  
  @Scoutdude But the new one would almost certainly have similar dimensions, yes?
  
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- RobertRyan on Oct 01, 2016
  
  @Drzhivago138 I doubt there will be much redesigning for the US market,maybe make it more of a "lifestyle" vehicle for the US market. You do not need the large payloads. Same problem with the Nissan Navara, cost too much to convert it into a Frontier replacement.
  
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- DenverMike on Oct 02, 2016
  
  @RobertRyan Correct. Midsize pickups in the US are more "lifestyle" purchases than working class. We have fullsize pickups for those serious about work, play or weekend chores.
  
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- Scoutdude on Oct 02, 2016
  
  @Drzhivago138 It will almost certainly be in a similar size range, but not exactly the same.
  
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