Форд Ранчеро: История Купе-Утилити

Coupe utility

The Ford Ranchero is a coupe utility that was produced by Ford between 1957 and 1979. Unlike a standard pickup truck, the Ranchero was adapted from a two door station wagon platform that integrated the cab and cargo bed into the body. A total of 508,355 units were produced during the model's production run. Over its lifespan it was variously derived from full sized, compact, and intermediate automobiles sold by Ford for the North American market. During the 1970s, the Ranchero name was used in the South African market for a rebadged Australian Ford Falcon utility. Shipped from Australia in complete knock down (CKD) form, these vehicles were assembled in South Africa at Ford's plant in Port Elizabeth. In Argentina, a utility version of the locally produced Ford Falcon was also called Ranchero. The original Ranchero sold well enough to spawn a competitor from General Motors in 1959, the Chevrolet El Camino.

The first Ford Model T and Model A pickup trucks were created from roadsters by placing a pickup box behind the body of a car. In 1934, Ford Australia's designer Lew Bandt modified a coupe with a smoothly integrated loadbed that could be used like a car to drive to church or to deliver pigs to market. This created the coupe utility which remains a popular body style known as the "ute" in Australia. In North America, pickup trucks evolved into a heavier duty form with cabs and beds that were quite distinct from passenger automobiles. The Ranchero was the first postwar American vehicle of its type adapted from a popular sedan from the factory. It combined the sleek looks of a sedan with the utility of a light duty pickup truck.

In 1968, the Fairlane line was supplemented by the new Torino, and the Ranchero followed suit, becoming the largest model since the full sized 1959. Overall, the new Ranchero was not only bigger, but also more angular than before with its more horizontal grille and horizontal headlamps; Ford and other automakers were making a switch back to horizontal quad headlamps. The interior was all new, as well, sharing the Torino/Fairlane's distinctive four pod instrument cluster. Though the four round pods gave the illusion of an engine turned dash, viewed from left to right, they instead featured warning lights for coolant temperature (both cold and hot) and the left turn signal indicator in the left pod with the speedometer in the second pod directly in front of the driver. Warning lights for the charging system and oil pressure, as well as the right turn signal indicator, were located third from the left. In upscale models, this pod was supplanted by a tachometer. An optional clock filled the fourth pod; a decorative "clock delete" panel otherwise filled the space. A seat belt warning light was a new feature, too, lighting briefly in the far left pod whenever the engine was started. The model line also featured wraparound front side marker lamps which doubled as parking lights and rear side reflectors, newly mandated by US law for the 1968 model year. Three trim levels were offered, beginning with the sparsely trimmed base Ranchero, the Ranchero 500 trimmed like the corresponding Fairlane 500, and the top of the line Ranchero GT with its Torino GT trim. Engine choices began with the 250 cubic inch I6 and ran to several V8 choices, including the standard 289 with two barrel carburetor, and the FE based 390. The powerful Cobra Jet, another FE derivative and the largest engine offered in the Ranchero to date, was a mid 1968 option. The 1968 model marked the final year of production of the 289; a V8 with two barrel carburetor became the standard V8 in 1969. Two new upmarket engine choices were available, the 351 Windsor with two and four barrel carburetion. The FMX automatic was available with both, which was a variant of the old Cruise o Matic and was offered exclusively with either 351. Like the Torino/Fairlane, the Ranchero could be had with virtually all of the same options as its cousins, including air conditioning, bucket seats, center console, AM/FM radio, optional wheels, front power disc brakes, hood scoop (standard on GT), and even a vinyl top. Changes across the 1969 model line were slight and included a flatter three piece grille less the horizontal crossbar and Ford crest, relocation of GT grille badging from the crest to the lower right corner of the grille as viewed from the front, a change from black faced instruments with white numerals to brushed aluminum with black numerals and a slimmer, two spoke steering wheel pad similar to those across the Ford product line, unlike the wheel with its broader "safety pad" and separate horn ring used in the 1968 intermediates and compacts. While the pad may have changed, the horn ring did not. The only change unique to the Ranchero was the relocation of the "Ranchero" script from the rear quarter panels to the front fenders. A little known and extremely rare offering in 1969 was the Rio Grande. Available on special order, this was essentially a GT in the so called "Grabber" colors of "Wimbledon White", "Poppy Red" or "Calypso Coral", partially blacked out hood with scoop, side stripes, bed rails, vinyl top, and unique "Ford Ranchero Rio Grande" wheel centers. As a result, Rancheros so equipped received Ford's "Special Performance Vehicle" identification on the data plate regardless of engine choice. These vehicles may be identified by the aforementioned designation, as well as a blank space where the trim code would normally be found. Production figures are unclear, but may have been around 900 total units. At the Detroit motor show in 1969 was shown a concept car Ford Scrambler, some elements of which were used in the next models of Ford Ranchero.

While Chevrolet's El Camino used the same body from 1968 to 1972, 1970 had a complete restyle for the Ranchero, which had started with a boxy body style. Both the Torino and Ranchero featured a shallow pointed grille and front end with smooth, somewhat more curvaceous lines influenced by coke bottle styling. A fourth trim option was made available in 1970. The Ranchero Squire was an upmarket trim package which featured a woodgrain applique similar to that found on the Country Squire station wagon. Like in previous years, all Torino trim and engine options could be ordered, including all new Ram Air 429 Cobra Jet or Super Cobra Jet engines (7 L) with the new "shaker" hood scoop, so named because it was directly mounted to the carburetor and shook with the engine at idle. Also available was a stylish grille that featured hide away headlamps, as well as an optional hood with an oversized scoop which was standard on Torino GTs. The 1971 is distinguished by a grille divided by a center section. A minor but nevertheless important variation debuted with the 1970 model. Prior to 1970, no Ranchero had any interior badging identifying it as such. With the 1970 model came a "Ranchero" or "Ranchero GT" badge on the glove compartment rather than Fairlane or Torino badging.

In 1972, a radical change occurred in the Torino and Ranchero lines. The sleek, pointy look of the previous year's model was replaced with a larger, heavier design. Most prominent was a wide semioval grille reminiscent of a jet intake and a new body on frame design. Three models were still available; the now standard 500, the new Squire with simulated woodgrain "paneling" along the flanks, and the sporty GT. Engine choices remained basically the same beginning with the 250 cubic inch six cylinder and a selection of V8s that ranged from the standard 302 to Cleveland and Windsor series 351s, plus the new for 1972 400. The 385 series V8 (the 429 for 1972–73; the 460 for 1974–76) was still available. However, all suffered from lower compression ratios to better meet new emissions standards. The Cleveland could still be obtained in tuned 4 V Cobra Jet form through 1974. A four speed manual transmission was available on Cobra Jet powered models GT, Squire and 500. The 1973 Ranchero had a redesigned front end to meet new federal standards for front impact protection. Aside from slight cosmetic differences, the Ranchero remained basically the same until the Torino's final year, 1976.

Rancheros are reasonably collectible, though they are nowadays often overlooked in favor of the later arriving Chevrolet El Camino, which stayed in production eight more years. Miniatures, apart from hand cast resin kits from cottage industry makers, are rare. Several Revell offerings of the 1957 model in both 1/32 and 1/25 scale have been offered over the years, as has a kit of the 1961 Ranchero by AMT/Ertl. A well detailed promotional model of 1959 intended for distribution by dealers was offered both with and without interior trim, windows, and friction drive by AMT/Ertl's predecessor, SMP; resin castings of this model's body are offered by the aforementioned cottage industries, as well. Matchbox produced a 1961 Ford Falcon Ranchero for the 2018 line as well as a 1970 Ford Ranchero for the 2023 line. Johnny Lightning makes a 1964 model, Hot Wheels made an adult collectible '57 in a limited run. In 2009 Hot Wheels produced a '72 Ford Ranchero that is still in production today. Hot Wheels also introduced (in 2011) the '65 Ford Ranchero that has a hard tonneau cover on the bed, and an opening in the hood that reveals the engine beneath. Racing Champions made a 1/64 scale 1957 Ranchero and AMT/Ertl currently produces a diecast '57 which doubles as a bank. AMT was responsible for other early dealer promotional models, too, including those of the aforementioned El Camino. Tonka produced a resin toy version of the 1968 69 model in roughly 1/24 scale as part of an auto transporter set; the front end of that toy arguably resembles the 1969 model more closely. In 2019, Greenlight Collectibles introduced 1972, 1973, 1974, and 1976 Ranchero models in 1/64 scale. The 1979 Ranchero was made as a 1/18 scale resin model by BOS (Best Of Show) Models. The idea of a car based pickup remains an attractive one and is an illustration of how favorable treatment for light trucks over cars by United States regulations skews the marketplace. Many Ranchero and El Camino owners, indeed, stopped buying new vehicles when those models were discontinued. Aftermarket conversions of the Fairmont Futura and Mercury Zephyr Z7 sport coupes to a Ranchero like "Durango" pickup were sold in select Ford dealers in the early to mid 1980s. Recently, interest in producing such vehicles again has grown, including those like the Subaru Baja, essentially an Outback station wagon with a stubby pickup bed instead of an enclosed cargo area. The Baja, like the Ranchero, is titled in most American states and Canadian provinces as a commercial vehicle. Until the late 2000s, the North American market tended to lean towards compact and midsized crew cab four door pickups such as the Ford Explorer Sport Trac and Chevrolet Colorado. However, with the compact pickups having grown towards midsized and encroaching on base models of more profitable full sized pickups, some manufacturers such as Ford and Ram Trucks have discontinued even their compact and midsized offerings; Ford discontinued the American Ranger in 2012 and originally opted not to sell its global replacement in North America due to being too close in size and price to the base model Ford F 150, though did eventually introduce it for the 2019 model year. In Australia, Ford produced a right hand drive car based "pickup", with the FG X Falcon Ute available in style side or tray back form. Production of Falcon sedans and utilities ceased in Australia in 2016.