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Ford Ranger Photos & Pictures
The Ford Ranger is the compact pickup Ford sold in North America from the 1983 model year through 2011, then revived for 2019 as a midsize truck on the global T6 platform. The original Ranger replaced the Mazda-built Ford Courier as Ford's small pickup and ran across three generations: the 1983-1992 first generation that introduced the Twin-I-Beam front suspension and the Lima four-cylinder and Cologne V6 engines, the 1993-1997 second generation that restyled the body and added the Splash trim, and the long-running 1998-2011 third generation that abandoned the Twin-Traction-Beam four-wheel-drive front end for a short-and-long-arm independent setup and adopted the Duratec 2.3 four and the SOHC 4.0 Cologne V6. Production of the original Ranger ended at the Twin Cities Assembly Plant in Saint Paul, Minnesota on December 16, 2011, and Ford sold no new Ranger in the United States for the 2012 through 2018 model years. The Ranger returned for 2019 with a single turbocharged 2.3 EcoBoost four and a 10-speed automatic, and the redesigned 2024 Ranger added a 2.7 EcoBoost V6 and the first Ranger Raptor with a 3.0 EcoBoost V6.
Pick your generation
Each generation page covers what changed year by year, what owners call them, and the wall of registered vehicles.
By model year
The wall
The most-documented Ford Rangers in the registry, every photo by the owner.
At a glance
- What it is: Ford's compact pickup in North America from 1983 to 2011, revived as a midsize pickup for 2019
- Generations: three for the original run (1983-1992, 1993-1997, 1998-2011), then the T6-based return from 2019
- US hiatus: no new Ranger sold in the United States for the 2012 through 2018 model years
- Signature engines: 2.0 and 2.3 Lima fours; 2.8, 2.9, and 4.0 Cologne V6s; 3.0 Vulcan V6; the SOHC 4.0 Cologne (from 2001); the 2.3 Duratec four; the 2.3 EcoBoost turbo four (from 2019); the 2.7 and 3.0 EcoBoost V6s (from 2024)
- Front suspension: Twin-I-Beam (2WD) and Twin-Traction-Beam (4WD) from 1983 through 1997, then a short-and-long-arm independent front from 1998
- Performance variant: the Ranger Raptor, the first Raptor version of the North American Ranger, arrived for 2024 with the 3.0 EcoBoost V6
- Final original Ranger: built December 16, 2011 at the Twin Cities Assembly Plant in Saint Paul, Minnesota
Ford Ranger generations at a glance
| Years | Generation | Key engines | What defines it |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1983-1992 | First generation | 2.0 and 2.3 Lima I4; 2.8 then 2.9 Cologne V6; 3.0 Vulcan V6; 4.0 Cologne V6 (from 1990); Mazda and Mitsubishi diesels early | Replaces the Ford Courier; introduces the Twin-I-Beam front end and spawns the Bronco II |
| 1993-1997 | Second generation | 2.3 OHC I4; 3.0 Vulcan V6; 4.0 OHV Cologne V6 | Aerodynamic restyle on a carryover chassis; adds the Splash trim; keeps the Twin-Traction-Beam 4x4 front end |
| 1998-2011 | Third generation | 2.5 I4 (through 2001); 2.3 Duratec I4 (from 2001); 3.0 Vulcan V6; 4.0 OHV then 4.0 SOHC Cologne V6 (SOHC from 2001) | New frame; replaces the Twin-Traction-Beam 4x4 front with a short-and-long-arm independent setup; runs 14 model years; final unit built December 16, 2011 |
| 2012-2018 | US hiatus | none sold new in the US | Ford sold the global T6 Ranger overseas but offered no new Ranger in the United States |
| 2019-2026 | T6-based return | 2.3 EcoBoost turbo I4 (from 2019); 2.7 EcoBoost V6 and 3.0 EcoBoost V6 (from 2024) | Returns to the US as a midsize truck with a 10-speed automatic; the 2024 redesign adds V6 power and the first Ranger Raptor |
The Ranger story: compact pickup, US hiatus, and return
The Ford Ranger nameplate began as a trim level on full-size Ford trucks, but as a standalone model the Ranger launched for 1983 as Ford's compact pickup, replacing the Mazda-built Ford Courier. The original Ranger was engineered and built in North America and ran for three generations through 2011. It also provided the platform for the Bronco II compact SUV and later the Ford Explorer. After the 1998-2011 third generation, Ford ended Ranger production in North America when the Twin Cities Assembly Plant in Saint Paul, Minnesota closed on December 16, 2011. For the 2012 through 2018 model years Ford sold no new Ranger in the United States, even as a larger global Ranger, internally the T6, was sold in other markets. Ford brought the Ranger back to the United States for 2019 using a North American adaptation of that global T6 truck, now classed as a midsize pickup rather than a compact.
Engine eras of the Ford Ranger
For its first two decades the Ford Ranger ran Ford's pushrod and overhead-cam compact-truck engines. The four-cylinders came from the Lima family in 2.0 and 2.3 displacements, and the V6s spanned the German-designed Cologne family (2.8, then 2.9, and the 4.0) and the domestic 3.0 Vulcan. The 4.0 Cologne V6 arrived for 1990 in pushrod (OHV) form and was the Ranger's top engine for years. The 1998-2011 third generation modernized the lineup: a 2.3 Duratec four replaced the older 2.5 four during 2001, and the same year the pushrod 4.0 gave way to the SOHC 4.0 Cologne V6 shared with the Ford Explorer, rated up to 207 horsepower. When the Ranger returned for 2019 it dropped V6 and naturally aspirated engines entirely and used only the turbocharged 2.3 EcoBoost four, rated 270 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque, paired with a 10-speed automatic. The 2024 redesign brought boosted V6 power back with the 2.7 EcoBoost V6 (315 horsepower) on non-Raptor trucks and the 3.0 EcoBoost V6 (405 horsepower) in the Ranger Raptor.
How the front suspension changed
The Ford Ranger used Ford's Twin-I-Beam independent front suspension on two-wheel-drive models and the related Twin-Traction-Beam (TTB) layout on four-wheel-drive models from 1983 through 1997. Four-wheel-drive Rangers used a Dana 28 TTB front axle early, then a larger Dana 35 TTB after the 4.0 V6 arrived for 1990, and a Dana 35 and 28 hybrid from 1993 to 1997. For the 1998 third-generation redesign Ford abandoned the Twin-Traction-Beam arrangement and switched to a short-and-long-arm (SLA) independent front suspension, with coil springs on conventional two-wheel-drive models and torsion bars on four-wheel-drive models plus some raised two-wheel-drive configurations. The returned 2019 and later Ranger uses a coil-over double-wishbone independent front suspension as part of the global T6 chassis.
The Ranger Raptor and the modern V6 era
When the Ford Ranger returned to the United States for 2019, it was offered only with the 2.3 EcoBoost turbocharged four and a 10-speed automatic, with no manual transmission and no V6. The redesigned 2024 Ranger, built on the updated T6.2 platform, expanded the lineup: buyers could add a 2.7 EcoBoost twin-turbo V6 rated 315 horsepower and 400 lb-ft of torque, and Ford introduced the first Ranger Raptor sold in North America. The 2024 Ranger Raptor uses a 3.0 EcoBoost twin-turbo V6 rated 405 horsepower and 430 lb-ft of torque, with a two-speed transfer case and front and rear locking differentials. This marked the first time a factory high-performance off-road Raptor variant of the Ranger was sold in the United States.
Frequently asked questions
When did the Ford Ranger first appear and when was it discontinued in the US?
The Ford Ranger launched as a compact pickup for the 1983 model year, replacing the Ford Courier. Ford ended North American Ranger production on December 16, 2011 at the Twin Cities Assembly Plant in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and sold no new Ranger in the United States for the 2012 through 2018 model years.
When did the Ford Ranger return to the US?
The Ford Ranger returned to the United States for the 2019 model year as a midsize pickup based on the global T6 platform, after a US absence covering the 2012 through 2018 model years. The 2019 Ranger used a single 2.3 EcoBoost turbocharged four and a 10-speed automatic.
What engines did the original Ford Ranger use?
The original 1983-2011 Ford Ranger used the 2.0 and 2.3 Lima four-cylinders, the 2.8 and later 2.9 Cologne V6, the 3.0 Vulcan V6, and the 4.0 Cologne V6 in pushrod form from 1990 and SOHC form from 2001. Early first-generation trucks also offered Mazda-sourced and Mitsubishi-sourced diesels. The third generation added the 2.3 Duratec four during 2001.
Did the Ford Ranger 4x4 use the Twin-Traction-Beam suspension?
Yes. Four-wheel-drive Ford Rangers used the Twin-Traction-Beam (TTB) independent front suspension from 1983 through 1997, with two-wheel-drive trucks using the related Twin-I-Beam layout. The 1998 third-generation redesign replaced the TTB with a short-and-long-arm independent front suspension.
What is the Ford Ranger Raptor and when did it reach the US?
The Ford Ranger Raptor is the high-performance off-road version of the Ranger. The first Ranger Raptor sold in North America arrived for the 2024 model year with a 3.0 EcoBoost twin-turbo V6 rated 405 horsepower and 430 lb-ft of torque, alongside a redesigned Ranger that also offered a 2.7 EcoBoost V6.
Sources
- Ford factory specification sheets and shop manuals for the 1983-2011 and 2019-present Ranger
- Wikipedia, Ford Ranger (Americas)
- The Ranger Station, engine and front-suspension generation histories
- Twin Cities Assembly Plant production records (final Ranger, December 16, 2011)
- Ford press materials for the 2019 Ranger return and the 2024 Ranger and Ranger Raptor
Asked all the time
When did the Ford Ranger first appear and when was it discontinued in the US?
The Ford Ranger launched as a compact pickup for the 1983 model year, replacing the Ford Courier. Ford ended North American Ranger production on December 16, 2011 at the Twin Cities Assembly Plant in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and sold no new Ranger in the United States for the 2012 through 2018 model years.
When did the Ford Ranger return to the US?
The Ford Ranger returned to the United States for the 2019 model year as a midsize pickup based on the global T6 platform, after a US absence covering the 2012 through 2018 model years. The 2019 Ranger used a single 2.3 EcoBoost turbocharged four and a 10-speed automatic.
What engines did the original Ford Ranger use?
The original 1983-2011 Ford Ranger used the 2.0 and 2.3 Lima four-cylinders, the 2.8 and later 2.9 Cologne V6, the 3.0 Vulcan V6, and the 4.0 Cologne V6 in pushrod form from 1990 and SOHC form from 2001. Early first-generation trucks also offered Mazda-sourced and Mitsubishi-sourced diesels. The third generation added the 2.3 Duratec four during 2001.
Did the Ford Ranger 4x4 use the Twin-Traction-Beam suspension?
Yes. Four-wheel-drive Ford Rangers used the Twin-Traction-Beam (TTB) independent front suspension from 1983 through 1997, with two-wheel-drive trucks using the related Twin-I-Beam layout. The 1998 third-generation redesign replaced the TTB with a short-and-long-arm independent front suspension.
What is the Ford Ranger Raptor and when did it reach the US?
The Ford Ranger Raptor is the high-performance off-road version of the Ranger. The first Ranger Raptor sold in North America arrived for the 2024 model year with a 3.0 EcoBoost twin-turbo V6 rated 405 horsepower and 430 lb-ft of torque, alongside a redesigned Ranger that also offered a 2.7 EcoBoost V6.