It’s been more than 40 years since the last edition of the Ranchero truck. Comeback rumors are swirling for a while. Now, with Ford bringing back old names, fans are thinking more about the old nameplates. On the other hand, the 2023 Ford Ranchero is unlikely, especially without any indication from official sources. Plus, there are other big project ongoing. And finally, Ford’s truck lineup is complete. We don’t know where the 2023 Ranchero could land.
The F-150 is the best-selling pickup ever. The Super Duty class brings series 2 and 3 models. Under the F-Series is the Ranger. The mid-size truck returned to the US after a pause in production, caused by economic crisis and lack of interest in this class. Ford is also starting the production of the Maverick compact pickup. The remaining options for the 2023 Ford Ranchero are hybrid or electric models.
Why 2023 Ford Ranchero is Not Happening?
The Ranchero is a truck-based on a car. This type of vehicles does not exist for a long time. So, the comeback of such pickup is under big question mark. But, let’s check a few other options. There are trucks built on the unibody frame. Hyundai Santa Cruz is going to join the Honda Ridgeline. However, the Japanese model is the slowest-selling pickup in the mid-size market. So, building the 2023 Ford Ranchero as the unibody truck is not the smartest idea.
But, the Blue Oval company will do everything to cover a larger share of the market. One of the positive things about the Ranchero is that competition is not existing, for now. But, Ford is testing the market with the compact pickup. Another experiment would cost more money that can be invested in electrification, which seems to be a safe bet.
Competition
The biggest rival to the 2023 Ford Ranchero would be Chevy el Camino. We analyzed the comeback of the bow-tie legend, which is also unlikely. But, General Motors has more room in the lineup to bring back old nameplates. For example, it can be a small truck or even a sporty version of Colorado. Like with Ranger, GM brought back one of the well-known models – the S-10. But, this truck is not coming to the US. And it is totally different than the Ranchero and Chevrolet el Camino.
Ford’s Plans
The truck market generates the most profit for carmakers. The bigger the model is, the more money is cashed. The Super Duty segment is generating the most revenue per unit, but F-150 is a best-seller, far away from all other models. At the bottom of the chart are small trucks. That is what killed the last version of the Ranchero. Now, it is not expendable to bring it back. Instead, an electric truck is on its way, and every penny spent on the development of such vehicles is a smart investment. By 2030, Ford will have every model in the lineup with an all-electric unit. Some say by 2035, drivetrains with conventional configurations will be out of production.