Ford Designed The Ranger To Appeal To Girls and Young Women

"Ford Designed The Ranger To Appeal To Girls and Young Women"

This is something I hear occasionally from people that own other brands, and even some F-series owners. Immediately I want to just dismiss it as the old, tired, worn, Ford vs. Chevy vs. Dodge vs. The Imports battle. It's the classic schoolyard dig- being called "girly" because I have a "Truckette" or some crap. Not that any of that stuff bothers me. I still like my Ranger and I think it was a good choice of vehicle at the time, and it continues to be so.

Anyways, it's starting to show up in print now (superficial articles in the newspaper 'autos' section, Consumer Reports magazine (who has a vendetta against Ford anyways) and other misc. places on the web), but without any real explanation of *how* the Ranger would appeal to girls and young women. Aside from say, making seat belts a certain way so that they don't smash their breasts, or some cosmetic stuff like coloring, interior prints, etc... one would think that most any car or truck is pretty 'gender neutral'.

Yet, interestingly, when I first purchased my Ranger in 1999, I noticed a lot of middle-aged women driving them (you know how it is when you get a new to you vehicle, you suddenly notice ALL of them on the road ;) ). That's not so much the case anymore, but I also live in a different part of the country now.

Anyone have any real data on this, or any suggestions on what would make a truck (or anything else) "girly"? I have a feeling that this is just one of those things that gets repeated enough times so that it becomes 'common knowledge' even though there's no rationality to it.

Besides, all the young, hot, tiny, dumb chicks I see are typically driving Hummers, Yukons and Expeditions.

I'm kind of hoping this to be an interesting discussion instead of a flame war, but oh well. This is Usenet. :oP

thx

-phaeton

Reply to
phaeton
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Then can you explain the sky blue Ranger "Splash" with the orange and yellow color effects? Not too bad, but it does look like SoCal Barbie's Ford Ranger...

Reply to
sleepdog

Don't think I've ever seen one, but I can picture it. I would agree with you in that it would be Barbie-ish in appearance, but I've seen a pretty fair amount of Canary Yellow with orange and red side graphics and/or Ice Green with sky blue and pinkish side graphics being driven by guys. That's (once again) just a cosmetic treatment and only one example of the whole Ranger series.

Folks seem to talk like *all* Rangers are designed with women in mind, and not just for cosmetic reasons (which are all objective anyways, right?). Most of the Rangers I saw middle aged women driving didn't have any special graphics, they were all solid, neutral colors. Some dark, some light.

Reply to
phaeton

That was just to make them think they were driving a man's truck...

Stephen N. ---> jes' joshin' ya...

Reply to
Stephen N.

:-D

Mine used to be black. Is that "Manliness on 11"? "Sinister Quotent Optimized"?

:oP

Reply to
phaeton

You mean stealing the chicks from Subaru??

Reply to
Dave Lee

"<<snip>>

And Rav4?

I don't know that Ford specifically designed the Ranger to appeal to women, but around here (South Carolina), the driver mix seems to be about 60/40 men. A number of years ago, I worked for a company that used them for service vehicles. This was '85 or '86 and was the first vehicle I had driven with EFI. They had 4 speeds plus OD, and I was totally impressed with the acceleration, speed, comfort, and hauling capacity for a smaller truck. I always thought that if I was going to get a pick-'em-up, that would be it. Although I never bought one (never had the need for a pick-up), I would still buy one today if I needed one just from the ones I see at work now, and the stories I hear about them. Oh, and I'm not a woman.

SC Tom

Reply to
SC Tom" <sc

I have a 2002 "Bright Island Blue" Edge Super Cab 4X2. Just after I bought it new in February 2002, I did some looking around on the internet to learn more about it. One thing I found is that the Edge, with it's ride height and monochromatic paint, was created for the "youthful" market but was not gender specified. I was 48 years old when I bought it which certainly isn't classified as youthful! Here in Dayton, Ohio I have seen quite a few /men/ in their 60's driving Edges but mostly the 30's and under. For the most part, if a woman is driving one, it's probably her husband's and she's only driving it because her PT Cruiser is down for repairs. <grin>

(About 95% of what I see driving a PT Cruiser are women. If a male is driving one, it usually has a rainbow decal on the back if you know what I mean). Around 20 years ago, I tried selling new cars at a Lincoln Mercury dealership. One very important thing I learned was that 80% of car sales accross the nation were governed by the female. Forty percent were governed by the single female and another 40% by the wife in a husband/wife team. Twenty lousy percent is men!!! Those percentages are still true today. That being so, perhaps that is where this bad "press" has originated from that you have questioned. The positions and roles of women have changed over the years. There are women doctors, lawyers, CEO's, business owners, etc. Those women are now buying and driving Vettes, BMW's, Porsches and the like which clearly are /not/ "gender specific" cars. In other words Phaeton, don't go trading your Ranger in because of a bunch of bull shit crap you've heard and read. I'm a straight male and I'm keeping mine until the wheels fall off!!! <grin>

Blue Oval/Dan Edwards

Reply to
Blue Oval

Cool. No wonder I've had it easy picking up chicks when I drive it around.

Reply to
JohnR66

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