WESTLAND, Mich. – Pickup truck fanatics everywhere, put on your
party hats. According to inside sources familiar with Ford Motor Co.’s plans,
the Ford Ranger is coming back to the
U.S. to be manufactured at the Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne.
Ford is negotiating a contract with the United Auto Workers
to manufacture the acclaimed midsize pickup in 2018. Ford’s board of directors
and the union will solidify plans once they reach an agreement.
To the chagrin of truck fans across America, Ranger production
in the U.S. ended in 2011 when the last model rolled of the defunct Twin Cities
Assembly Plant in Minnesota. Ford manufactures the 2016 Ranger in South Africa,
Argentina, Thailand, and Nigeria for 180 overseas markets, however, importing
the pickup to the U.S. would come with a 25% tariff called the “chicken tax,” which explains the lack of Rangers you see on the road.
At the core of the discussion is whether or not the Ranger
would be a fitting vehicle for the plant and its 4,500 workers to manufacture in
lieu of the Ford Focus and C-Max, which would be moved down to Mexico. The Ford Ranger coming back to the U.S. would
help the automaker compete against sales of the Chevrolet Colorado, GMC Canyon,
Toyota Tacoma, and Nissan Frontier in an emerging midsize truck segment. It
would also help Ford meet the federal government’s increasing fuel-economy
standards for fleets.
North Brothers Ford is located at 33300 Ford Rd Westland, MI 48185 and proudly serves as one of the premier dealerships in Metro Detroit, committed to exceptional customer service! Stop by, or give us a call at 888-806-7163, our knowledgeable and helpful sales team will be more than happy to assist you!
Visit our website: www.northbros.com
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