2004 Ford Ranger Xlt W/ Plow Automatic 2-door Truck on 2040-cars

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Detroit automakers gain market share simultaneously for first time in 20 years

While monthly sales figures might be an easy way of tracking the progression of the auto industry and individual automakers, looking at market share might be more indicative of how each company is actually standing up against its competitors. For the Detroit Three automakers, they have collectively lost almost 30 percent of the market over the last 20 years, but now, for the first time since 1993, Ford, General Motors and Chrysler have each posted market share gains at the same time.
According to Automotive News, Ford's share increased the most by 0.7 percent, GM was up 0.5 percent and Chrysler rose marginally by 0.2 percent, giving the Detroit automakers a total market share of 45.6 percent. As for the Japan's Big Three, the article reports that Toyota is up by 0.7 percent, Nissan is down the same amount and Honda has seen "little change."

Autoblog Technology of the Year Award Special | Autoblog Podcast #758

This episode of the Autoblog Podcast features Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore, Road Test Editor Zac Palmer and Consumer Editor Jeremy Korzeniewski. The trio begin by discussing the 2022 Technology of the Year award. Ford's Onboard Scales and Smart Hitch hauling/towing tech as tested in the F-150 Lightning won this year. Why the Ford won, how testing went down and Ford's competition — including the GMC Hummer EV and Genesis GV60 — are discussed. After diving through the Technology of the Year award testing, the three take on this week's news. A mysterious vehicle based on the Corvette (that isn't a Corvette) is supposedly on its way. Audi is giving us "Performance" versions of the RS 6 Avant and RS 7 Sportback. Plus, we discuss a recent study that provides data for the 10 longest lasting vehicles on the road today. After the news, the crew dive into the cars they've been driving this week. Greg's been behind the wheel of a Nissan Pathfinder, while Jeremy and Zac have been driving some plug-in hybrids, including the Lexus NX 450h+ and Autoblog's long-term BMW 330e xDrive. Send us your questions for the Mailbag and Spend My Money at: Podcast@Autoblog.com. Autoblog Podcast #758 Get The Podcast Apple Podcasts – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes Spotify – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast on Spotify RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown 2022 Autoblog Technology of the Year finalists and winner News Mysterious Corvette Audi RS 6 Avant Performance and RS 7 Sportback Performance revealed 10 longest lasting vehicles on the road today Cars we're driving 2022 Nissan Pathfinder SV 2022 Lexus NX 450h+ 2022 BMW 330e xDrive Long-Term tester Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on Apple Podcasts Autoblog is now live on your smart speakers and voice assistants with the audio Autoblog Daily Digest. Say “Hey Google, play the news from Autoblog” or "Alexa, open Autoblog" to get your favorite car website in audio form every day. A narrator will take you through the biggest stories or break down one of our comprehensive test drives. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Green Podcasts Ford Genesis GM GMC Technology Technology of the Year Truck Crossover SUV Electric Hybrid Luxury Off-Road Vehicles Performance Sedan

Ford considering bringing Ranger pickup back to the US

When Ford announced last month that it was moving Focus and C-Max production out of the Michigan Assembly Plant after 2018, it said that it was looking for other products to build at the facility and such proposals would be part of discussions with the UAW on a new contract. According to a report in The Detroit News, one of those vehicles could be a new Ford Ranger midsize pickup. We're a long way out from a decision being made, and both the UAW and Ford's board of directors would have to sign on, but the report says it's in the air. The last Ranger was built in the now-shuttered Twin Cities Assembly Plant in St. Paul, MN, in December 2011. After 29 years on the market, slow sales for the truck itself and the midsize truck segment doomed it, annual Ranger sales numbers having dropped from a peak of roughly 350,000 in 1999 to just 70,832 in 2011. The midsized truck market is still coming out of its own doldrums, with 211,797 sold through July 2015, the Toyota Tacoma accounting for 50.1 percent of that, followed by the Chevrolet Colorado, Nissan Frontier, and GMC Canyon. Even with analyst predictions that the market will grow to 300,000 in the near future, compare that to the fullsize truck market that has already sold 1.2 million units this year. The Wayne plant has built trucks before over its 57-year history, but it would likely need more than just the Ranger to keep it afloat; it builds five vehicles now, pumping out 265,000 units last year. According to Bloomberg, this could also mean the possible return of the Bronco. If we do get a new Ranger, it probably won't be anything like the old Ranger. Ford still makes it for 180 global markets, but if you've seen one you know it's a different animal. The wheelbase on the 2015 Ranger sold in Australia is fifteen inches longer than our 2012 Regular Cab model, about an inch longer than the 2012 Supercab. It has a bulkier design, weighs 700 pounds more, and can be had in numerous configurations we didn't get like a five-seat Dual Cab. A new version for us would also need updating for US regulations, and Ford would want to make sure it could be built with price and size separation from the fullsize F-Series.