End of the Sport Trac and Mountaineer

[Rick]

Automotive News has reported that the Explorer Sport Trac and Mercury Mountaineer will be dropped in the 2010 model year

 

[eXcali]

Automotive News has reported that the Explorer Sport Trac and Mercury Mountaineer will be dropped in the 2010 model year

I've seen this coming for some time now. I'm surprised they even made it into the 2009 models. Left wing wackos want to dictate everything to us down to what we drive. It's feeling more and more like the People's Republic of America everyday.....

 

[techieman33]

I've been waiting for the mountaineer to get dropped, with a lot of the other mercury cars, there just isn't enough there to really differentiate them from the fords. I am kind of surprised the sport trac is going, unless we're getting a 4 door ranger to replace it.

 

[90ranajo]

The Ranger was scheduled to be dropped for the 2010MY also. However, Ford has given it a stay of execution for a couple of more years.

 

[Rick]

I've seen this coming for some time now. I'm surprised they even made it into the 2009 models. Left wing wackos want to dictate everything to us down to what we drive. It's feeling more and more like the People's Republic of America everyday.....

The collapse of the market for gas guzzlers is responsible for their demise, not the work of any political party.

 

[Rick]

The Ranger was scheduled to be dropped for the 2010MY also. However, Ford has given it a stay of execution for a couple of more years.

http://news.pickuptrucks.com/2009/05/spied-ford-ranger-t6-global-small-pickup.html

Ford hasn’t said officially what, if anything, will replace the U.S.-built Ford Ranger when production ends in 2011 but recent spy photos captured half a world apart point to a brand new, globally produced small pickup taking its place by 2012.

The engineering mules seen in these pictures might look like facelifted, double-cab versions of the Mazda BT-50 that’s sold outside the U.S. and shares a common platform with the Thai-built overseas Ford Ranger, but sources say their duct tape and cobbled bodies hide the mechanicals and running gear of Ford’s next-generation global small truck. That new pickup will likely mean all Ford Ranger models would be built on a single global platform, codenamed "T6" that's being designed in Australia. The current overseas Ford Ranger shares only its name with the Ranger built for North America.

The move is expected to mirror Ford’s recent product strategy to cut development costs by designing new vehicles on a single global platform, like the new Ford Fiesta compact car that recently went on sale in Europe and is promised for the U.S. next year.

Photographed T6 test trucks are configured in both left- and right-hand drive versions and are longer and wider than the current overseas Ranger. The mules are powered by diesel and gas engines. An industry source says the T6 Ranger for the U.S. will likely be powered by a new 1.6-liter four-cylinder direct injection turbocharged EcoBoost engine producing at least 175 horsepower and 180 pounds-feet of torque. Ford's 3.0-liter Duratorq TDCi four-cylinder turbodiesel engine, rated at 154 horsepower and 280 pounds-feet of torque, is expected to be carried over in the new truck for buyers outside the U.S.

 

[celly]

The collapse of the market for gas guzzlers is responsible for their demise, not the work of any political party.

AGREED

I never understand why things need to be polticicized all the time. Simple supply vs demand drives business decisions. We all know Ford has done a MUCH better job than most automakers in these trying times of making better decisions. I'm not a big fan of the next generation Explorer at all, but there are some sound decision making that went into that re-design. SUVs simply aren't what people are buying anymore as evidenced by how many were sacrificied during the Cash for Clunkers fiasco. CUV is where its at (despite the fact I don't care for many of them, but I did drive in a nice Lincoln CUV in Minneapolis last week).

I'm not surprised at the Mounty decision. Ford Canada killed the Mercury brand several years ago because the demand just wasn't there. I'm surprised the nameplate as lasted as long as it has in the US given GM has killed Olds and Pontiac and Chrysler killed Plymouth for the same reasons.

I am a bit surprised about the Sport Trac. I was at the Calgary International Car Show this spring and the Sport Tracs were one of the more popular Ford Trucks at the show.

 

[Joe Dirt]

Popular at auto shows doesn't always translate into sales though- i.e. the Flex. That thing lit up the auto show circuit when it was the Fairlane concept car, and now after toning down to market it, nobody wants one.

I also somewhat agree that the gas prices and incredible marketing as well as the constant badgering of the "if you don't buy a Toyota or Honda you're throwing your money away" crowd- including influential auto magazines and reporters sunk the market more than a political party, although I don't want to live in the People's Republic of Pelosi either...

I really can't believe that Ford didn't kill Mercury entirely years ago, but if they can pull off a more aggressive differentiation between Ford and Mercury, they might just pull it off. Ford is by far making the best automotive decisions lately- see the Fusion and the new Taurus- but I must give props- GM's new "May the Best Car Win" campaign is a really good one. Much better than Ford's "We Speak Car" is.

Stop the overinformation, and go back to this stuff- it worked!!!













...and one for you, Brooklyn



and this is just classic...



I love old commercials.

 

[Tbars4]

...The Ranger is safe for a while but...
http://www.trucktrend.com/features/...ve_of_success_to_live_another_year/index.html

"For the first seven months of the year, Rangers were selling at a rate of around 4900 trucks per month, leading to a total of 41,864 units sold so far this year."

...As for it's twin brother, the Mazda B series, they are done...
http://news.pickuptrucks.com/2009/09/mazda-drops-b-series-pickup-from-us-lineup.html

 

[rhauf]

i think the best line in there is "discover the new ford explorer, discover its aerodynamic design" as they show a picture of it, in its brick-shaped glory

 

[Rick]

Ford should have never abandoned advertising campaigns like this for the Explorer...



They forgot why so many loved the Explorer in the first place and morphed the Explorer into a mall cruiser instead of the true Sport Utility Vehicle they started with.


The "new 4 door Bronco II".

 

[DB_1]

It's feeling more and more like the People's Republic of America everyday.....

It aint so bad, we've been a republic since 1850:

 

[shooterdude199]

im kinda surprised with this. the sport trac has only been around since what... late 2000? and they sell. there are atleast a friggin gazillion in my town. not right. just not right.

 

[nitro71]

So, some of you want to blame politicians for Ford making stupid, greedy mistakes that has lead to people wanting to buy Honda's and Toyota's? If Ford had engineered Explorers to go 200,000 miles instead of maybe hitting 100K without a lot of repairs needed I'm willing to bet they would have the reliability title and the foreign makers wouldn't have the market share that they do. Fact is that Honda or Toyota is a well built car based on a reputation that they earned. Ford has yet to do that.

 

[Joe Dirt]

<edit>

stuff removed- no point in trying to convince someone that the vehicle they own isn't a piece of s***

 

[techieman33]

So, some of you want to blame politicians for Ford making stupid, greedy mistakes that has lead to people wanting to buy Honda's and Toyota's? If Ford had engineered Explorers to go 200,000 miles instead of maybe hitting 100K without a lot of repairs needed I'm willing to bet they would have the reliability title and the foreign makers wouldn't have the market share that they do. Fact is that Honda or Toyota is a well built car based on a reputation that they earned. Ford has yet to do that.

My current mountaineer has 210k miles on the clock and everything is still stock from all the looking I've done, even the plug wires

 

[X6StringerX]

I don't know enough about the Sport Trac's sales to come to any sort of conclusion, but I do know that I don't see that many of them around here.

As far as the Mountaineer goes, I think it makes financial sense for Ford to cut it. I'll go out on a limb and say that it would make financial sense to completely cut Mercury all together. Some people tout Mercury as being more luxurious, but I simply don't see it. When comparing an Explorer Limited to a Mountaineer Luxury model, all I see is a different badge and some color options... along with the enormous costs associated with keeping an entire brand alive for the sake of minor differences.

 

[Flounder]

Sport Tracs have consistently been profitable despite little to no advertising. Their demise is in the Explorer's change. There is little support to maintain a line producing body on frame trucks when that line only is producing for one vehicle. It sucks, as I am a fan of the ST. But, it's reality.

 

[rhauf]

So, some of you want to blame politicians for Ford making stupid, greedy mistakes that has lead to people wanting to buy Honda's and Toyota's? If Ford had engineered Explorers to go 200,000 miles instead of maybe hitting 100K without a lot of repairs needed I'm willing to bet they would have the reliability title and the foreign makers wouldn't have the market share that they do. Fact is that Honda or Toyota is a well built car based on a reputation that they earned. Ford has yet to do that.

I think actually you're backwards here. the newer fords (and all other models imo) are built cheaper, and wont last. however the older ones (pre-95, etc) are very well built, many i would consider to be over built. my '93 explorer has over 200k on it, and all i do is change the oil. runs like it was brand new still. a/c and all. yes, the newer ones have crappy transmissions, timing chain problems etc, whatever.

as for the older fords (trucks for example) i don't think anybody could argue that a windsor (or big block) based truck or suv with a c6 and 9" is anything less than over-built and will easily last 300k miles if only somewhat cared for.

did you just write that to cause a stir up on here? why are you even here? i don't get why people come on enthusiast boards and call (whatever it is, fords in this case) junk.. just doesn't make seance to me.

yes, Japanese vehicles are usually fairly well built (not all but most) however this is not what creates popular opinion, i believe the reason imports have such great reputations is because the people who buy them are arrogant pricks and are constantly telling everyone else how their vehicles are the best thing ever.. etc etc. european cars for example, such as audi's (who have a great reputation) are nightmares to service, both hour-wise as well as cost of parts, they are always broken etc. yet they have a good reputation.. why is that? i never see 15 year old audi's on the road......

 

[Anime]

Rumor was back when the ST came out, it was only an Explorer rather than a Ranger since they could sell it for way more.

I'd say a 4 door pickup is long overdue. Most other manufacturers have brought theirs over by now. A 4-door Australian-designed pickup would be great.

As for the V6's, that's long overdue tech that was in the works before the 4.0 OHV but has been on the shelf while gas prices skyrocketed. Boosting a 4 or 6 cylinder..and/or using diesel has been the way the rest of the world gets the power and torque needed without going V8. Ford might get ahead of the competition with this while everyone else is years behind on sticking turbos and superchargers on things.

Personally I'd be glad to see global platforms. It's always been irritating to watch the rest of the world get cool cars and awesome trucks while the companies just complain they wouldn't be able to market and sell the same thing in the US, even though people were clamoring for it. I have no doubt once the car companies start bringing over the cool stuff, auto sales will boom once again, this time replacing the big trucks and SUVs with ghastly crossovers that get car mileage, and irritatingly trendy looking compacts.


The Cologne V6, especially the 4.0L OHV, is one of, if not the THE most durable motor Ford has made. Quite similar to the reliable 4 bangers in the imports of old, really. (Well...other than the valve clatter from pushrod/rocker wear.) The motor lasts forever if you take care of it, everything else around it falls apart sooner or later.