ford There’s already a wide range of utes available, but it seems to have found gaps into which it can squeeze a few more.
In addition to an already confirmed “mid-size” (i.e. Ranger-sized) electric car due out in 2027 based on its new Universal EV platform, Ford has confirmed its plans for another new car.
When asked about Ford’s recently announced plans to launch five new models priced under US$40,000 (A$56,450) in the US, Ford Chief Financial Officer Sherry House confirmed that one of them would be new.
“We had talked (in December 2025) about integrating more internal combustion engine (ICE) trucks into our Tennessee plant,” she said at the Wolfe Research Auto conference on Feb. 11, 2026, referring to the Stanton plant previously dedicated to electric vehicle (EV) production.
“So we’ll have that and see if we can offer another variant that we haven’t announced yet.”
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Ford CEO Jim Farley expressed similar caution last month when US President Donald Trump visited the automaker’s truck plant in Dearborn.
“We’re adding an internal combustion vehicle in Tennessee – an internal combustion truck, an affordable one… We’re actually going to expand one of our existing plants and make a different type of truck there,” he said.
Andrew Frick, who heads the automaker’s Ford Blue business and Model e EV divisions, confirmed this Automotive News This month, the release announced that the five new vehicles under $40,000 would carry new nameplates, indicating that this new vehicle would not carry an existing name like Maverick.
“We plan to have five new vehicles by the end of the decade, starting with the UEV, that would cost less than $40,000…Today…you have our Bronco Sport, you have our Maverick, but then we’re looking at the UEV in 2027 and then some other products after that,” Ms. House said.
The as-yet-unnamed model is scheduled to enter production in 2029, but Ford has not confirmed specifications for the vehicle.
Ford currently offers three different ute/pickup models in the US with base prices under $40,000: the car-derived Maverick crew cab from $28,145 (AUD$39,700); the dual-cab Ranger from US$33,350 (AUD$47,000); and the F-150 pickup starting at US$37,290 (AUD$52,600).
The company has previously confirmed that it is targeting a base price of around US$30,000 (A$42,350) for the new electric ute, which could carry the Ranchero nameplate.
Since a mix of two midsize ICE ute vehicles, a midsize electric ute, and a full-size ICE pickup will be available in Ford’s American showrooms by the end of 2027, it’s unclear where this other vehicle would fit.
Notably, Ford doesn’t offer any regular or super cabs in the U.S. market other than the F-150, with the single-body Maverick and body-on-line Ranger offered as a crew cab only.
Today’s Ranger is also quite a bit larger than the early generations of this type, which offered body styles less than five meters long.
While buyer demand for dual-cab configurations is strong, it’s possible Ford is looking at two-door options to offer a ute at a more attractive base price.
However, it would be wishful thinking to claim that Ford is considering offering a two-door ute derived from the car again, even though the company filed to protect the Ranchero brand in 2025.
While Ford offered a Falcon ute in Australia until 2016, the company discontinued its car-based Ranchero ute in the US back in 1979.
General Motors discontinued the competing Chevrolet El Camino/GMC Caballero twins after 1987 and its plans to sell the Holden VE Commodore ute there as a Pontiac were scuppered shortly after its debut at the 2008 New York Motor Show.
After the demise of the legendary El Camino, passenger car-based cars proved few and far between in the US – unlike markets like Australia and Latin America where they thrived – with a long gap until the 2003-2006 Subaru Baja and another gap until the launch of the current 2022 Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz.
Notably, all car-derived pickup trucks offered in the United States this century featured a crew cab configuration.
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