2008 Thai Motor Expo: Ford Ranger Max

Local industry observers believe that the concept's debut here is part of Ford's plan to shore up its image in Thailand, where its pickup sales are unimpressive. The spicy-looking Ranger Max concept is the work of Paul Gibson and Thai pickup specialists, along with those in Ford's Australia-based Asia Pacific office and that in Africa. Officially, it's only a design exercise.

Despite being on the market in second-generation form for three years, the current Ranger has received a rather lukewarm reception. Along with the jointly developed Mazda BT-50, the Ranger is nearly at the bottom of the sales chart behind Toyota, Isuzu, Mitsubishi, Nissan and Chevrolet. In the first 10 months of this year, Mazda and Ford sold some 6,000 units each compared to 100,000 achieved each by leaders Toyota and Isuzu.

The BT-50 and Ranger are competitive here in performance, refinement and economy with 145-horsepower 2.5-liter and 156-hp 3.0-liter turbodiesel engines. However, their platforms have been carried over from the first-generation models, giving them flawed dynamics and compromised cabin room in four-door double-cab form.That was the reason why Ford and Mazda have decided to bring forward an all-new replacement in 2010, although the ongoing financial crisis could see that date pushed back a year.

An insider told Inside Line that the next Ranger and BT-50 may gain access to the R&D bins of the Ford Explorer SUV. Ford Thailand also builds the Everest, which is essentially an SUV derivative of the Ranger, at the AutoAlliance plant in the east of the country, where 80 percent of total production is for export.

Inside Line says: Ford seeks to strengthen its position in a vital growth market. — Richard Leu, Correspondent