Ford Ranger Thread
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Lexus Fanatic
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 94,702
Likes: 290
From: Virginia/D.C. suburbs
By today's standards, it is considered a mid-size pickup. And, yes, it is definitely larger than the last-generation Ranger, which was considered a compact. Whether it is larger than the older F-150s, I can't say.
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 9,999
Likes: 250
From: California
Nearly all the Ford press wordage above is mumbo-jumbo. The real reason for the STX package is to help spark some sales. I don't think this truck was well received.
BTW, the STX package was the second best selling Ranger package back in the mid-90's. XLT was tops.
BTW, the STX package was the second best selling Ranger package back in the mid-90's. XLT was tops.
CL Community Team
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 9,432
Likes: 638
From: IL
The Ranger's wheelbase is a foot shorter than a 1990 Extended cab short bed F-150, and the overall length is 6" shorter. If you compare to the extended cab long bed, the difference in wheelbase is 30", and overall length 22". The F-150 is 3" taller regardless of setup.
Thread Starter
Lexus Fanatic
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 94,702
Likes: 290
From: Virginia/D.C. suburbs
Lexus Champion
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 13,296
Likes: 1,904
From: WA
My brother-in-law recently picked up one of these, but I am yet to see it in person. His is a Lariat FX4. He sent a picture and it's a very nice looking truck. He planned to get the Colorado but didn't like the interior when he test drove it, and was much more impressed with the Ranger.
I'm not a huge Ranger fan, and the short bed only configuration took it completely out of the options for me, but I do think they are capable and good looking. More options/configurations is a good thing.
I'm not a huge Ranger fan, and the short bed only configuration took it completely out of the options for me, but I do think they are capable and good looking. More options/configurations is a good thing.
Lexus Fanatic
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 35,651
Likes: 426
From: ON/NY
Well, of course it is to increase sales. It's no secret that this current generation of the Ranger has not been well received here in the U.S., especially compared to the Tacoma and Colorado/Canyon. However, it's not a bad truck by any means...and, IMO, its interior substantially beats that of the Tacoma, although it's hard to argue with the Tacoma's reliability and staying-power.
Ford actually built a 'Very Gay Raptor' in response to an internet troll
The rainbow truck debuts at Cologne's Christopher Street Day LGBTQ+ celebration
"Very gay" is how one internet denizen described the new Ranger Raptor Special Edition pickup in a comment on a Ford Europe social media post. The company noticed and, in response, took the concept of a very gay Ranger Raptor and ran with it. The result? A rainbow and glittery gold-wrapped truck parading the streets of Cologne, Germany to celebrate Pride Day.
The marketing team responsible for the truck, a butched-up version of the mid-size Ranger pickup, has always been, shall we say, pretty cheeky. The promotion of the 2021 Ranger Raptor Special Edition, or R.S.E., centered around an Old West-meets-Mad Max theme titled "The Good, the Bad, and the Bad R.S.E." Americans might not see it right away, but British and Australian English speakers will immediately get the pun: bad-****.
Not everyone agreed, though. According to Ford, the aforementioned commenter wrote in response to the reveal, "Well... that's a cool car! -But that blue color is very Gay!! Hey Ford! Paint in BlackNGold or camo!"
Subtlety, or the judicious use of exclamation points, were not the commenter's forte, but whoever it was did spark a comeback from Ford. On June 25, the company tweeted an animation of the Raptor in its rainbow livery in support of the LGBTQ+ community.
But then Ford went one step further and actually built a Ranger Raptor in said livery. In a clever move, Ford took the "black and gold" recommendation literally, wrapping the truck in the glitziest gold one can imagine. Over the gold, a rainbow swirls around the truck, ending with a pink heart on the tailgate.
What Ford has dubbed the Very Gay Raptor made its debut at the Christopher Street Day parade, a LGBTQ+ celebration in Cologne. Incidentally, this isn't the first time Ford has participated at the event with a rainbow-themed vehicle. In 1997 Ford created a Ka Pickup prototype out of the Ka compact hatch. The concept never made it to production, but it was later repainted in rainbow colors by Ford's internal GLOBE (Gay, Lesbian Or Bi-Sexual Employees) group for use in Christopher Street Day celebrations for many years.
Predictably, it has elicited many negative responses on social media, but many have shown their support of the truck as well. Perhaps Ford could come back with an even stronger response. A be-rainbowed F-150 Raptor or Ford GT, anyone?
The marketing team responsible for the truck, a butched-up version of the mid-size Ranger pickup, has always been, shall we say, pretty cheeky. The promotion of the 2021 Ranger Raptor Special Edition, or R.S.E., centered around an Old West-meets-Mad Max theme titled "The Good, the Bad, and the Bad R.S.E." Americans might not see it right away, but British and Australian English speakers will immediately get the pun: bad-****.
Not everyone agreed, though. According to Ford, the aforementioned commenter wrote in response to the reveal, "Well... that's a cool car! -But that blue color is very Gay!! Hey Ford! Paint in BlackNGold or camo!"
Subtlety, or the judicious use of exclamation points, were not the commenter's forte, but whoever it was did spark a comeback from Ford. On June 25, the company tweeted an animation of the Raptor in its rainbow livery in support of the LGBTQ+ community.
But then Ford went one step further and actually built a Ranger Raptor in said livery. In a clever move, Ford took the "black and gold" recommendation literally, wrapping the truck in the glitziest gold one can imagine. Over the gold, a rainbow swirls around the truck, ending with a pink heart on the tailgate.
What Ford has dubbed the Very Gay Raptor made its debut at the Christopher Street Day parade, a LGBTQ+ celebration in Cologne. Incidentally, this isn't the first time Ford has participated at the event with a rainbow-themed vehicle. In 1997 Ford created a Ka Pickup prototype out of the Ka compact hatch. The concept never made it to production, but it was later repainted in rainbow colors by Ford's internal GLOBE (Gay, Lesbian Or Bi-Sexual Employees) group for use in Christopher Street Day celebrations for many years.
Predictably, it has elicited many negative responses on social media, but many have shown their support of the truck as well. Perhaps Ford could come back with an even stronger response. A be-rainbowed F-150 Raptor or Ford GT, anyone?
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