Motor Trend 2024 Ranger Article

Erik Latranyi said:

Suppliers work with Toyota to improve quality and reduce the chances for defects in making parts. Toyota pays for companies to do LEAN manufacturing events so costs go down and processes improve. They agree to split the savings. If there is a warranty claim, Toyota works to determine if it is their design (they swallow the costs) or if the supplier did not hold to the design (supplier pays).
...
It is the difference between collaboration with suppliers (like Chrysler did in the 1990s) and abusing suppliers (like FCA has done for the past decade).

Click to expand...

SCORE.

Involving the supplier in the initial design of the vehicle, knowing they were going to get the business and that any savings up front were going to be shared equally with the supplier, turned the supplier into a Chrysler design, engineering, and manufacturing partner by default, with as much to lose as Chrysler if a mistake was made or subquality parts were used.”  —Bob Sheaves

Dave Z said:

SCORE.

Slashing the smart way: SCORE (Supplier COst Reduction Effort)

www.motales.com

Involving the supplier in the initial design of the vehicle, knowing they were going to get the business and that any savings up front were going to be shared equally with the supplier, turned the supplier into a Chrysler design, engineering, and manufacturing partner by default, with as much to lose as Chrysler if a mistake was made or subquality parts were used.”  —Bob Sheaves

Click to expand...

I remember working with Chrysler at the time on the HVAC vents for the PT Cruiser before the vehicle was unveiled. I knew about the round shape and center knob. It was all new and there was plenty of back and forth to get it right.

That was SCORE.

Erik Latranyi said:

I remember working with Chrysler at the time on the HVAC vents for the PT Cruiser before the vehicle was unveiled. I knew about the round shape and center knob. It was all new and there was plenty of back and forth to get it right.

That was SCORE.

Click to expand...

It was amazing in the first-gen (Daimler took it out of the second-gen). Didn't look effective but it flowed beautifully and was more controllable than traditional vents.

Dave Z said:

It was amazing in the first-gen (Daimler took it out of the second-gen). Didn't look effective but it flowed beautifully and was more controllable than traditional vents.

Click to expand...

...and it was stylish!

Functional and aesthetically pleasing

Well, all I can say is that after Toyota made such a big splash with the all-new Tacoma, the still-not-out-yet 2024 Ford Ranger already looks like last year’s news.

So it’s like this, if we go by recent announcements:
Tacoma > Ranger > special edition Lunar Ram

aldo90731 said:

Well, all I can say is that after Toyota made such a big splash with the all-new Tacoma, the still-not-out-yet 2024 Ford Ranger already looks like last year’s news.

Click to expand...

I think it is a bit early to make a statement like that. How about they actually get some road tests? The Tundras, which look good on paper as well turned out to land with a thud to testers.....things that are not normal for Toyotas like squeaks and rattles etc. Why would you assume that the new Tacomas wont be the same?

Since when is releasing a few pics and specs a big "splash"?

Rob Johnson JR said:

I think it is a bit early to make a statement like that. How about they actually get some road tests? The Tundras, which look good on paper as well turned out to land with a thud to testers.....things that are not normal for Toyotas like squeaks and rattles etc. Why would you assume that the new Tacomas wont be the same?

Since when is releasing a few pics and specs a big "splash"?

Click to expand...

All vehicle introductions are a BIG SPLASH production. Just a few days ago we had a big buildup for a sticker/decal RAM package.

Rob Johnson JR said:

I think it is a bit early to make a statement like that. How about they actually get some road tests? The Tundras, which look good on paper as well turned out to land with a thud to testers.....things that are not normal for Toyotas like squeaks and rattles etc. Why would you assume that the new Tacomas wont be the same?

Since when is releasing a few pics and specs a big "splash"?

Click to expand...

Perhaps. But Toyota has always done a better job with Tacoma than Tundra. Unlike Ford, Toyota has never been concerned about holding back its midsize truck to let the full-size truck shine.

I’ll bet the amount of innovations Toyota has announced on the 2024 Tacoma has sent Ford and GM product planners scrambling.

aldo90731 said:

Perhaps. But Toyota has always done a better job with Tacoma than Tundra. Unlike Ford, Toyota has never been concerned about holding back its midsize truck to let the full-size truck shine.

I’ll bet the amount of innovations Toyota has announced on the 2024 Tacoma has sent Ford and GM product planners scrambling.

Click to expand...

How so? The new Ranger is done and ready for sale. Same with the GM twins. Toyota was and is the one that scrambled like crazy to show its new truck was not falling behind. Let's see the tests of them in the next few months and decide.

Rob Johnson JR said:

How so? The new Ranger is done and ready for sale. Same with the GM twins. Toyota was and is the one that scrambled like crazy to show its new truck was not falling behind. Let's see the tests of them in the next few months and decide.

Click to expand...

You are right. Most likely Ford and GM are not even worried. That’s why Tacoma will continue eating their lunch,

Rob Johnson JR said:

How so? The new Ranger is done and ready for sale. Same with the GM twins. Toyota was and is the one that scrambled like crazy to show its new truck was not falling behind. Let's see the tests of them in the next few months and decide.

Click to expand...

Toyota offering a hybrid when Ford/GM do not is a big deal. Also, the Toyota horsepower is only exceeded by the Ranger Raptor.

Erik Latranyi said:

Toyota offering a hybrid when Ford/GM do not is a big deal. Also, the Toyota horsepower is only exceeded by the Ranger Raptor.

Click to expand...

Absolutely. My point is that not every brand can do everything at once. Does anyone really think that a hybrid Tacoma was a huge surprise for Ford and GM? Nobody is putting a pistol in their mouths in despair over it. I would wager that within two model years there will be a Hybrid Ranger if the Tacoma hybrid sells well.....which it probably will. What GM does I have no idea.

Declaring victory is waaaay premature at this point.

Rob Johnson JR said:

Absolutely. My point is that not every brand can do everything at once. Does anyone really think that a hybrid Tacoma was a huge surprise for Ford and GM? Nobody is putting a pistol in their mouths in despair over it. I would wager that within two model years there will be a Hybrid Ranger if the Tacoma hybrid sells well.....which it probably will. What GM does I have no idea.

Declaring victory is waaaay premature at this point.

Click to expand...

The hybrid Ranger was planned. But now Toyota will have about 2 year head-start on Ford.

Also, Ford is the underdog here who needs volume. Toyota will continue to sell 250k Tacomas in North America annually.

Rob Johnson JR said:

Absolutely. My point is that not every brand can do everything at once. Does anyone really think that a hybrid Tacoma was a huge surprise for Ford and GM? Nobody is putting a pistol in their mouths in despair over it. I would wager that within two model years there will be a Hybrid Ranger if the Tacoma hybrid sells well.....which it probably will. What GM does I have no idea.

Declaring victory is waaaay premature at this point.

Click to expand...

Toyota has already been ahead for many years, basically since Dodge fumbled and made the 3rd generation Dakota too big.

David S said:

Toyota has already been ahead for many years, basically since Dodge fumbled and made the 3rd generation Dakota too big.

Click to expand...

And ugly.

The Tacoma has always been ugly and the new one is no different. Styling is not subjective for me. I know an ugly vehicle when I see one

plymouth1 said:

The Tacoma has always been ugly and the new one is no different. Styling is not subjective for me. I know an ugly vehicle when I see one

Click to expand...

The current one is just old and boring for me at this point. The GM twins and Ranger are far better looking even though the GM twins are waaaaay too tall.

I just built a 2024 Ranger XLT online for fun. 4x4, spray-in bedliner, tech+towing package, keypad entry on the door. $47,000. OUCH. Considering the truck already looks 10 years old because Ford is terrified of keeping up with the times, that's going to be a tough sell. Keep in mind that the next trim level up adds $8,000 (Lariat) and the optional engines aren't even showing up on the configurator tool yet so now you're into nicely equipped full size pricing.

I just built one, XLT with just the options I’d want, and it comes to $46105, which isn’t bad IMO. A Gladiator with the options I’d want is about $10k more. Can they do the same exact things? No, but for what I’d use them for, yes…all except being able to remove the doors and roof. Is that worth the extra $10k? I don’t know, but I doubt it, to me anyway.

However, I could get a fully loaded Maverick Lariat (assuming I can find one) with everything I’d want, and it’d be cheaper by $5k than the Ranger I built.

It comes down to what do I want, and how much do I want to spend.