Previous Gen Rangers

Msfitoy

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Hi Dmeyer,

Yeah...I have a few comments. We had a new Ranger in the works, called the P273 P is for Pickup and 273 was the 273rd program to come before the Top Brass of Ford for a go or no go. We had prototypes running around and were about one and half years into the program when our CEO at the time Jacques Nassar and our Group VP, Derrick Kuzak killed the program because Nassar wanted to put all the money into luxury vehicles to increase profitability in his ill fated dance with Wall Street and Kuzak wanted it killed to force people into the F150 Short Wheel Base as the P273 was more of a midsize than the then current Ranger and Kuzak wanted to retain the Title of Top selling brand for over 40 plus years. All the prototype new Rangers were sent to the crusher...It was a sad day at Truck when the program was killed.

Nassar was an awful CEO in my opinion. He had an idea that an employee that felt he/she could loose their job at any moment was going to be more productive than an employee that felt secure in his/her job. He was hated by so many people. I was at the SEMA show in Las Vegas when Nassar was given the boot. Many of us at the Ford display celebrated way long into the night... Kuzak was a straight shooter that made a bad decision and got axed for it as we gifted Toyota the compact pickup segment. I worked directly for Derrick and always liked him. But he caved to Nassar's pressure and got canned as well. Our leadership for the FI50 was never threatened...

best,
Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired
I was there in the design studio (Dearborn) during the Nassar days...that guy messed up more than a few projects...
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P. A. Schilke

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I was there in the design studio (Dearborn) during the Nassar days...that guy messed up more than a few projects...
Hi Sid,

You are so right...He would prance in to the Design Studio...Say "I do not like the taillights...fix them" and cost the program team tons of dollars, just on a whim...Nassar was so bad news on so many levels... Remember when Comerica Bank added Nassar to the board and Ford employees wholesale moved their accounts to other banks. Nasser bowed out but I am convinced Comerica asked him to decline...

best,
Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retierd
 

Msfitoy

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Yup...those were the days when the CEO's wife had more power than the entire design team :headbang::LOL:
 

Traneman

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Hi Dmeyer,

Yeah...I have a few comments. We had a new Ranger in the works, called the P273 P is for Pickup and 273 was the 273rd program to come before the Top Brass of Ford for a go or no go. We had prototypes running around and were about one and half years into the program when our CEO at the time Jacques Nassar and our Group VP, Derrick Kuzak killed the program because Nassar wanted to put all the money into luxury vehicles to increase profitability in his ill fated dance with Wall Street and Kuzak wanted it killed to force people into the F150 Short Wheel Base as the P273 was more of a midsize than the then current Ranger and Kuzak wanted to retain the Title of Top selling brand for over 40 plus years. All the prototype new Rangers were sent to the crusher...It was a sad day at Truck when the program was killed.

If the Rangers was not killed, would of the P273 and newer models after that been made at the St. Paul Ford plant?
 

P. A. Schilke

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If the Rangers was not killed, would of the P273 and newer models after that been made at the St. Paul Ford plant?
Hi Jay,

I know Ford was trying to close Edison NJ Assembly and also St. Paul...both were very old plants. As far as where Ranger would have moved if the P273 came to fruition is unknown to me...rumor was Michigan Truck in Wayne Mi.

best,
Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired
 

DJS 60

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I bought a 2005 Ford Ranger, ordered with the X Plan the way l wanted it. Edge package 5 speed manual 4.0 motor 4x4. It was a great truck but I grew tired of the manual shifting and the fuel economy wasn't very good. So l bought a 2011 F150 with the 3.5 ecoboost and traded it for a 2015 F150 with the 2.7 ecoboost, both supercabs. A month ago l ordered a 2020 Ford Ranger supercab, the F150 is just to big and they are getting to expensive. I also ordered this truck with the X Plan.
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