It's hard to imagine a truck that manages to inspire the same loyalty and enthusiasm that the Ford Ranger does, which is why it pains us here at John Bleakley Ford to announce that the model will be discontinued next year. The Ranger is a solid truck that can handle anything you throw at it, but Ford needs clear room in its lineup and production for the introduction of new and more efficient models.

"I'm surprised," says Ranger owner Samuel Taylor. "I thought the Ranger was here to stay, like the F-150. But times are tough. People are making do with what they got, I guess. I'm gonna drive mine until the cows come home."¹

Surprising to some, but the move actually makes sense when you think about it. Many truck buyers are turning to the larger, and in some cases equally efficient, Ford F-150 for their needs, and as such, the company wants to focus on the F-Series as its primary truck offering. After all, the F-150 is the 2012 Motor Trend Truck of the Year®. Furthermore, Ford has also expressed interest in developing a new hybrid powertrain for the F-150 as well.

Of course, there's still the matter of what will happen to the Ford Ranger factory's employees. As stated previously, Ford need to free up room in their production line, which means that they won't be ditching their dedicated employees any time soon. Rather, Ford plans to put them to work on other models at different factories.

We don't know about you, but everyone at 870 Thornton Road Lithia Springs, GA 30122 will certainly miss the Ford Ranger when it's gone. But, if you simply can't watch it drive off into the sunset, you could actually drive it yourself. After all, it is available for a test drive. And setting up a test drive with us is as easy as contacting us online or by phone at (888) 589-3953.

Not interested in driving a new truck? We can also arrange a test drive on other new Ford models like the Ford Edge, Fusion, and Mustang. And after you've taken your next potential Ford for a spin, we can even answer any questions that you may have regarding financing your next Ford, as well as maintaining it with genuine Ford parts. So make sure to get in touch with us today!

Source: ¹ http://www.nydailynews.com/autos/bye-bye-ford-ranger-cars-trucks-2012-article-1.993938