| The Dearborn based Ford Motor Company is still | | | | the declining demand for the compact pickup. Last |
| struggling to bring the company back to | | | | year, Ford reported that they have sold 24 |
| profitability. Crucial decisions needs to be made | | | | percent less compact pickup trucks compared to |
| since time is not on their side as well as the trend | | | | 2005. And the woes in the segment continue as |
| in the auto market. One issue that Ford is in the | | | | the company reports a four percent slump from |
| process of deciding is whether they will continue | | | | January to May this year. |
| their involvement in the compact pickup truck | | | | This third option is not an unlikely decision for Ford |
| market. | | | | to take. It can be remembered that when |
| According to Mark Fields, they are still thinking | | | | minivans produced by the car manufacturer |
| about whether they will continue their foray in | | | | showed declining sales, the company discontinued |
| that segment. Fields though did not made public | | | | the production of such vehicles. |
| when they are expecting to reach a decision on | | | | When asked whether Ford will shelve the Ranger, |
| the fate of their entry to the compact pickup | | | | Fields commented that they will be picking their |
| segment - the Ford Ranger. | | | | shots. If Ford decides to focus on its strength, |
| The Ford Ranger has been in the lineup of | | | | then the Ranger may be on its way out. The |
| FoMoCo since 1983. The compact pickup's point of | | | | midsize SUV segment offering from Ford is also |
| origin in the United States is Ford's Twin Cities | | | | showing signs of decline in the past years. Fields |
| assembly facility in Minnesota. The assembly | | | | though said that what they are taking in from the |
| facility though is scheduled to be closed down as | | | | sale of the Ford Explorer is still substantial which |
| part of Ford's Way Forward. The said program is | | | | means that the Explorer is safe right now - even |
| the turnaround plan for the Michigan carmaker. | | | | safer than the Ranger. |
| Since the plant is about to be closed, Ford may | | | | But experts pointed out that whatever Ford does |
| move the production of the Ranger to other | | | | to the Ranger in North America will not affect the |
| plants. | | | | Rangers in Europe and Asia. This is because Ford |
| Another option for Ford is to take the production | | | | already unveiled a redesigned Ranger pickup for |
| of the Ford Ranger to Thailand. The said Asian | | | | the European auto market last year. This means |
| country is the second biggest market for pickup | | | | that they are still doing well in Europe and the |
| trucks. Producing the Ford Ranger in that country | | | | redesign is to further increase their buyer base in |
| would give the company an advantage in that | | | | the continent. |
| market. A drawback though is that since Thailand | | | | The new Ranger pickup unveiled in Europe at last |
| does not have a free trade agreement with the | | | | year's Paris Auto Show is developed by Ford in |
| United States, exporting the Thai-produced to the | | | | cooperation with Mazda. Ford has a controlling |
| United States would mean that they would | | | | share in the Asian manufacturer. With the tie up |
| produce very little profit. | | | | between them, the Ford Ranger for Europe was |
| Another option open for Ford is to altogether | | | | designed in Japan and was manufactured in Ford's |
| shelve the aging compact pickup along with its | | | | assembly facility in Thailand. |
| Ford Ranger parts. One reason for this option is | | | | |