Ford Ranger, Mazda BT-50 production boosted to meet demand

By Tim Beissmann
April 26th, 2012

FIND DEALS

High global demand for the Ford Ranger and Mazda BT-50 has encouraged the two manufacturers to ramp up production of the all-new utes.

A $US27 million ($26 million) investment from Ford and Mazda into their AutoAlliance Thailand (ATT) manufacturing joint venture will boost production by 20,000 units annually, taking total utility capacity at the Rayong-based plant to 140,000 per year.

It will see the plant upgraded with more robotic equipment and tools to help increase the speed and output of the production lines. The higher capacity will come into effect from next month.

The latest investment takes Ford and Mazda’s total joint spend on the facility to close to $US2 billion ($1.9 billion) since operations began in 1995.

Ford ASEAN president Peter Fleet said the new investment reinforced the brand’s long-term commitment to Thailand as a global production and export hub, and Mazda senior managing executive director Yuji Nakamine said the added volume would help the company meet “exceptionally strong demand” for the BT-50.

All Ranger and BT-50 utes sold in Australia are produced at the AAT plant in Thailand, not far from the production sites of the top-selling Toyota HiLux and all-new Holden Colorado. Both models were launched in Australia in the second half of last year after being jointly designed and developed down under.

In the first quarter of 2012, the BT-50 outsold the Ranger in our market (2755 vs 2402). The BT-50 4×4 easily accounted for the Ranger 4×4 (2108 vs 1566), although the Ranger 4×2 proved more popular than BT-50 4×2 (836 vs 647). Both models trailed the HiLux in the 4×2 segment (2281) and the Nissan Navara in the 4×4 segment (5876).

Read CarAdvice’s review of the Ford Ranger.

Read CarAdvice’s review of the Mazda BT-50.

Sponsored Ads

Fairlane

How the Bt50 outsold the Range Ill never now. Its looks utterly horrible, better dealer service maybe?
- BT this time
  
  Cost is how Fairlane, I saved over 6k on same level model. Is 6k worth just a better looking vehicle at the end of the day same ute. The BT-50 looks grow on you and look even better with a few accessories.
  - JML
    
    “The BT-50 looks grow on you”.
    
    No. No they don’t.
    - Marx
      
      If we all had the same boring tastes in live, we all would be driving the same boring ute’s. The Mazda is better value, true, but I happen to think it looks great an moves away from the boxed shaped ute’s. The look doesn’t need to grow on anybody, it’s already a HUGE SUCCESS. I love it!
      - Andrew M
        
        The BT50 looks have grown on me, it does look better in the flesh.
        
        On the value for money front, the Ranger top spec does offer more kit that the BT50 top spec.
        Dollar for kit I think they are line ball.
        
        The BT50 is a bit cheaper but the Ranger more things to justify the difference
      - phuong
        
        Just like fungi grow on you, doesn’t make it better. If a car have to grow on you than the design isn’t effective.
    - 80′s Robot
      
      The BT-50 competitors suffer from something far worse – Dullness. And have to look at them every day, so I’m suffering from it.
      
      Glad there are people like Marx in this world who can think differently. Keeps the world from being any duller.
- Des
  
  Easy – supply.
  Mazda have the controlling stake in the manufacturing plant, and Mazdas were getting made at the expense of Fords when the parts shortage occured.
  - Marx
    
    So you work at the plant I assume, with this amazing insight on Mazda and Ford Production Schedules. Production usually takes place by the amount of orders received from dealers and demand for that vehicle, not by someone’s biased opinion.
    - Des
      
      No but I do chat to someone who does.
      Your take on production schedules might be true in normal circumstances, but in recent times prod schedules have been severely compromised by flood damage in Thailand.
      The facts are that Mazda pulled rank and took more than their fare share of the production line parts, however Ford has the much stronger order banks for ongoing sales deliveries.
      This is not an opinion, biased or otherwise, it is fact.
      And the on “biased opinions” that seem to be going on here are yours!
      - Marx
        
        Oh please, this is a joint venture between Ford and Mazda and has been for many years, nobody is pulling rank, that’s utter rubbish! The Ranger has always been a favourite of mine, why would I be biased towards it, You’re implying that people are buying Mazda because Ford has a shortage of parts and vehicles? What? I think the Ford it’s a great ute, however, I happen to think the Mazda is fresh, the interior is better and offers better value for money. Ford ain’t topping the list for after sale service either, and has dropped in the rankings. Both great ute’s, in my opinion Mazda has the “Edge”
      - Des
        
        So YOUR OPINION is that the FACT that more BT50′s than Rngaers have been coming of the line is “utter rubbish”? …………. OK then…………. believe what rubbish you want, but facts are facts.
- chook
  
  Its because mazda actually advertise ……. . I do however know 3 people who have all been waiting for months for their new rangers , so supply issues are a factor .
  - Ramjet
    
    Some Ranger models are a 6 month wait. I think Ford Australia have underestimated how popular the Ranger would be and have not ordered enough stock. The Hilux is made in Thailand too but they seem to be able to supply OK.
    - Des
      
      Did you not notice the dip in Hilux sales? They have had supply issues too, although different parts of Thailand suffered worse than others.
      - Jesse
        
        got told 4 month wait for a hilux… and that’s now production is back up… it was out to 6 at one point.
- Andy
  
  its because the ranger is so expensive.
Fairlane

How the Bt50 outsold the Range Ill never now. Its looks utterly horrible, better dealer service maybe?
Reckless1

Ford really are clueless with their marketing and sales efforts.

They couldn’t sell ice cream to kids in summer – their only flavour would be sarsparella and they would be 20% dearer than the next vendor.

Everyone else would have a range of flavours.

But that Mazda is seriously ugly to my eyes, just as the Triton is a shocker.

Hasn’t stopped people buying Triton, and they’re not $6g cheaper than their direct counterparts.
Blue

I want a Ford Ranger Wildtrac. I have to wait till December. Come on ford. I am seeing BT 50 all over the place compaired to the ranger. Why. The BT 50 is not attactive. Hopefully I can get the ranger early now
- http://ozmazda.com/ Dave
  
  look out a BT-50 MPS could be born….the Mazda is a far better looking ute than the boring Ranger…thou we all have our own opinions
Leighh

They are both Fords…….one just has a horrible looking face!!!!!
- http://ozmazda.com/ Dave
  
  and thats the boring “yawn” Ranger….
Sydlocal

Maybe people are buying the BT50 because you then they don’t have to look at it from the outside because you are driving it! BT50 drivers would also be looking at one of the most “un-commercial vehicle” looking interiors out of all of the “Thai trucks”.
http://ozmazda.com/ Dave

Good onya Mazda as like the media and the boring said it wont sell but the BT-50 is smiling all the way….there is 3-1 BT-50′s to Rangers here in Orange NSW…..and the miners love em…
- Des
  
  …but only beacause the Ranger is on back order with flood driven stock shortages.
  Also just because one fleet buyer gat a good deal doesn’t mean that it’s a better buy (or otherwise). You just can’t read anymore into it than the fact that a fleet buyer got a good deal.
  - http://ozmazda.com/ Dave
    
    well what my local dealer told me was that the sales have been slow….not because of supply issues….there is alot more variety out there in the ute market now….
  - Sydlocal
    
    Don’t they come from the exact same factory Des? Wouldn’t this mean the Mazda would be suffering the same “flood driven stock shortages” that is hampering Ford? After all, it is a joint facility and I very much doubt that Mazda would be allowed to “call dibbs/priority” on the majority of the production capacity/output…
    
    Also, are you saying the one fleet buyer getting a good deal is responsible for the fact that the BT50 is selling a lot more than the Ranger around the whole country, not just Orange? Maybe it could have something to do with Ford’s marketing of the Ranger compared to Mazda’s, or should I say Ford’s lack of any real marketing! I can’t believe that a company with such a strong product range is struggling so much to market them. If Holden had a range like that they would be snapping at Toyota’s heels on the sales charts…
    
    Personally I would love to have the Ranger exterior with the Mazda interior, badge doesn’t matter!
    - Marx
      
      What Des doesn’t seem to or want to know is that Mazda received more than 7000 orders for the BT50 in Thailand after it’s launch there in the first couple of weeks, a huge success, that’s why they are flying high.
Phunken

Haven’t really seen any BT or Ranger in Canberra on the road for weeks now… most tradies have Hilux or Navara here so not sure what that say about the new kids on the road. I seen more Bt than Rangers, which i think the Ford series styling work better but experience with Ford service centre is woeful.
aushog

In this wonderful economy dollars count square head looks don’t, remember what Henry Ford said you can have any color you want as long as its Black. That attitude exists with their sales attitude now, no service look at how great we are, we can over charge you and under service you and who cares, we don’t. Go to a Mazda dealer and they want your business. That’s why you don’t buy the FORD
Zpostie

Ford are hopless for after sales service and warranty claims
T Crossin

It’s everybody’s choice as to what they buy. Wether it be a Ford or Mazda. Come on guys this could go on forever. I drive a D max and that is not everybody’s choice.
Richard Ndlela

which bakkie is stronger than the other between the ford ranger 2500TD and Mazda drifter 2500TD?
XR6Turbo17

Come on Ford Build the Ranger here in Australia next to the Falcon & Terri.
You have a capacity and Thailand can’t Build enough and Your loosing order because of it.