Some Ford dealers miss small pickup

[nruggiero]

Some Ford dealers miss small pickup
Automotive News
March 4, 2013
by Bradford Wernle

DETROIT -- Ford's compact Ranger pickup is gone, but for many dealers it's not forgotten.

"I think there's definitely a need," said Martin Gubbels, owner of Big Sky Ford-Lincoln in Torrington, Wyo., who said he has many customers who would love a pickup smaller than the F-150.

Ford discontinued its small pickup in 2011 amid dwindling sales and has stuck to a one-pickup strategy since. "Here in truck country," said Gubbels, "I took as many as I could get my hands on" in 2011, when Ford was winding down Ranger sales.

Gubbels recently took a 2011 Ranger with 6,500 miles in trade and says it's worth as much now as it was when new. "There's a message right there," he says. Ford "gave up a nice little chunk of market share they were once dominant in."

Beau Smith, co-owner of Sill-TerHar Ford in Broomfield, Colo. and chairman of the Ford National Dealer Council, adds, "Dealers are worried about losing sales in that small-truck segment."

But Rich Savino, president of All America Ford in Old Bridge, N.J., isn't convinced. He says the old Ranger had run its course by the time sales stopped. "How feasible is it to bring a new platform and spend all the billions of dollars for some incremental sales? I'd rather see them spend the money on something else."

Doug Scott, Ford truck marketing manager, says Ford understands dealer concerns and is keeping an eye on the segment. "There is a market for what we would consider a true compact, a truck that is significantly smaller and more affordable and has significantly better fuel economy than what you find in the full-size truck category.

"I would argue there aren't any true compacts in the market today," he says. "The challenge is to deliver that product with a good business case." He said Ford continues to evaluate the market.

Full article available at link.

[2b2]

Some Ford dealers miss small pickup...

what a CO-INCIDENCE!

I've seen a number of customers post the same thing

[nruggiero]

Well, they'll be happy once it's back on the lots again in the near future.

[falcon lover]

Is a big mistake , Ford. Abandon this market is a big mistake. Toyota is enyoing the moment, taken the Rangers customers from you. Who decided this? Ford is losing customers and money