Playlist | Exposes from the Detroit Auto Display

The Ranger and Bronco will comeback to the Ford stable.

The Ranger will come back to North America in 2019, and the Bronco will be back the following year in 2020.

Both will be produced at the Michigan Assembly Plant, with production on the Ranger commencing in late 2018. Ford did not specify when production on the Bronco would begin.

Bill Ford, executive chairman of Ford, said Monday it’s the right time to bring back those vehicles, despite factors like fuel prices that might affect sales in the future.

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“There’s clearly customer request for it,” he said. “It is the right time, I’m very excited by it. It will be a true, rough Bronco. A real off-road vehicle.”

Joe Hinrichs, Ford’s president of The Americas, echoed Ford during the official announcement, telling customers have called for the vehicles.

“We’ve heard our customers noisy and clear. They want a fresh generation of vehicles that are amazingly capable, yet joy to drive,” said Hinrichs. “Ranger is for truck buyers who want an affordable, functional, rugged and maneuverable pickup that’s Built Ford Rough. Bronco will be a no-compromise midsize 4×4 utility for thrill seekers who want to venture way beyond the city.”

Jessica Caldwell, Edmunds executive director of industry analysis, said Ford picked the right shot by bringing back the trucks.

“Sales of trucks and SUVs showcase no signs of slowing, and by reviving nameplates that customers are familiar with, they have the chance to differentiate themselves in a category that’s becoming increasingly crowded,” she said. “The fact that the company also recently announced fresh details about their EV and mobility strategy shows Ford’s commitment to meeting the needs of the entire market.”

Ford discontinued the Ranger, a puny truck, in 2011, but newer versions are sold in one hundred eighty markets around the world. They presently are built in Argentina, South Africa, Thailand and Nigeria.

The Bronco, which drew national attention as the getaway vehicle for O.J. Simpson, was discontinued in one thousand nine hundred ninety six after being built for thirty years at Ford’s plant in Wayne. Its successor, the Expedition, was also built in Wayne before moving to Kentucky Truck. Ford displayed a Bronco concept at the two thousand four North American International Auto Showcase in Detroit.

Ford said he’s not worried one of the fresh models will steal sales from the other.

“I think the best thing is when you cannibalize yourself,” he said. “I’d rather do it than have someone else do it.”

Ford, Hinrichs and Mark Fields, Ford president and CEO, spent a majority of Monday’s press event highlighting Ford’s work in mobility, autonomy and electrified vehicles.

Ford said the market for electrified vehicles is continuing to grow around the world.

“You don’t know the conditions into which these vehicles are going to be launched into the marketplace,” he said. “You have to take the long view in terms of where the world is going.”

Fields and Ford envisioned a city in which their products work with infrastructure in different cities to make life lighter for commuters.

“Think of it as a transportation operating system that’s managed by the city – but that we can bring assets to,” Fields said.

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Ahead of its Monday auto demonstrate expose, the automaker announced Sunday a refreshed F-150 that it will bring to market.

The fresh pickup ditches the three-bar grille that has been Ford’s signature design for over a decade, and brings a diesel engine to the light-duty truck lineup (previously suggested only in strong duty) for the very first time in its almost 70-year history.

Ford crested the 800,000 sales bar for the very first time since 2005, leading truck market sales with the F-150 and its fresh for two thousand sixteen F-250 Super Duty brother. The Ford hammer out its fattest competitor — the Chevy Silverado by over 250,000 units sold, and it hammer General Motors’ Silverado/GMC Sierra twins by about 24,000.

The two thousand eighteen F-150 is due in showrooms in the fall 2017, but the diesel version won’t be available until the summer 2018. Built in England by Ford, the diesel will produce astounding towing capability and is the same oil-burner found in Land Rover’s SUVs.

The F-150 will be the very first light-duty truck to get pre-collision assist with pedestrian detection as well as adaptive cruise control which can come to a finish stop – then accelerate again. The two thousand eighteen model will also have an available Wi-Fi hot spot that can accommodate up to ten devices. The F-150 will come with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone compatibility.

In addition to the seven fresh grille choices, the two thousand eighteen F-150 will sport six fresh wheel options (from 17- to-22 inch) and more interior color and material choices. All these options across five model trims – XL, XLT, Lariat, King Ranch and Platinum – make for hundreds of potential pick configurations.

While two thousand eighteen F-150 pricing won’t be released until later this year, it won’t differ much from the current model which starts at $28,025 for a base XL and tops out at over $64,000 in Platinum trim with all the goodies. The F-150 is built in Dearborn, Louisville, Kentucky, and Kansas City, Missouri.

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