Rangers and F-150s in Norway

[ggraham]

Vacationing in Norway and it seems like the Ranger is even more popular here than the F-150 is in the states.

While I’ve easily seen over a hundred Rangers (and lots of VW pick-ups, which are actually pretty good looking!) I’ve seen nary a Tacoma, only one Tundra, fewer than a half-dozen full-sized pickups in all, and no F-150s. Why is that?

Also, Ranger Raptors everywhere.

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[Motorpsychology]

Vacationing in Norway and it seems like the Ranger is even more popular here than the F-150 is in the states.

While I’ve easily seen over a hundred Rangers (and lots of VW pick-ups, which are actually pretty good looking!) I’ve seen nary a Tacoma, only one Tundra, fewer than a half-dozen full-sized pickups in all, and no F-150s. Why is that?

Also, Ranger Raptors everywhere.

AFIK, Tacoma is NA only. The slightly smaller Toyota Hi Lux is their ROW truck. It seems that most in the EU get a Transit-type vehicle or a forward cab w/stake or van body if they need more volume/ payload than a Ranger-size. My neighbor is retired from 3M and had a former colleague from the EU visit here last year. He was amazed at how many giant PU's we have here as personal vehicles!

 

[Dereku]

Really boils down to the cost of petrol. Our giant 1/2 ton trucks are all gas. Most Little trucks in the ROW are diesel. Typically cheaper and gets better MPG. $8 a gallon and 15 mph doesn't work. Diesel rangers can exceed 30mpg btw.

 

[ggraham]

Gas is CHEAP in Norway! Maybe 3/4 the price in Georgia, USA.

 

[ggraham]

Ok. I have just learned gas is priced by the liter in Norway (not gallon). It is not cheap!

 

[LaBalbe]

I lived in Europe for years. It's both a question of fuel costs and also the size of streets. Most European city streets are largely just upgraded versions of what they were back in the day when everyone walked everywhere, only a few had access to a horse, and only the nobility could afford a carriage, hence the streets are a lot narrower. It makes it difficult to maneuver a larger truck like an F-150. Back when the 1st civilian Hummers were all the rage in NA, you'd almost never see them in Europe, because they've got too wide a wheel-base for the streets. Same reason why you'll rarely ever see a limo in Europe; they've got too large a turning radius. Likewise, you'll notice that all of the commercial trucks are COE instead of the more common conventional cab of NA; every inch you can spare in Europe matters for getting through the streets.

 

[LaBalbe]

Ok. I have just learned gas is priced by the liter in Norway (not gallon). It is not cheap!

Nope, you've got to roughly multiply the cost by 4, as there's about 4 litres to a gallon. So, you're paying about 3x more than you're used to in Georgia. Us Canadians get to run those calculations every time we cross the border, and the further south you go, the cheaper the gas gets. I've toyed with the idea of loading up on jerrycans full of gas every time I go to the South, but transporting that much gas is probably gonna be more trouble than it's worth.

 

[Trigganometry]

If I remember right these countries insurance and taxes are for the size of vehicles and the number of seats in them. Many buy small trucks and pull the rear seats to avoid the extra cost. Also reduces weight so better mileage

 

[Gazmic]

Ok. I have just learned gas is priced by the liter in Norway (not gallon). It is not cheap!

I thought the same thing for about 5 minutes on my 1st trip to Canada.

 

[halligan1201]

There's also the chicken tax issue. If it's a truck and built in NA, big import taxes. Same goes for trucks built in Europe coming here. Rangers have several manufacturing plants outside NA. Even if there was a demand for big pickups there despite the fuel cost and practicality, it would need to be enough to justify building a plant somewhere outside the US.

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