Compact Diesel trucks that we can't get here

[Sysop]

IIRC, it was the Courier which was actually a re-badged Mazda B2200 or something like that. Dad had the Mazda variant and used the Courier manual.

Aaron Z

The Ranger was introduced in mid-1982 for the 1983 model year and had an available 4-cylinder 59 hp 2.2 L Mazda/Perkins diesel. In 1985, a Mitsubishi-built 2.3 L turbodiesel with 86 hp replaced the Mazda diesel engine. The diesels were no longer an option after 1987.

The Early Ford Ranger Diesel Engines

1983 Ranger production began January 18, 1982 at the Louisville Assembly Plant,[3] hitting showrooms in March.[4] Available engines were the 72 hp (54 kW) 2.0 L and 82 hp (61 kW) 2.3 L OHC four-cylinders, a four-cylinder 59 hp (44 kW) 2.2 L Mazda/Perkins diesel, and a 115 hp (86 kW) 2.8 L Cologne V6. In 1985, a Mitsubishi-built 2.3 L turbo-diesel with 86 hp (64 kW) replaced the Mazda diesel engine

Ford Ranger (North America) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

They were tough little trucks with tough little engines.

 

[Jim Shooz]

Here's a tv commercial we had back in 1999 about the performance of the Hilux

Bugger - YouTube

We have very few American trucks/utes whatever you like to call them (although we generally think if it hasn't got about 18 wheels or more, it aint a truck) left hand drive, high fuel consumption, high price. Toyota would have the major share of the market with Nissan, Ford/Mazda, Holden(Chev)/Isuzu, Mitsubishi, taking the other half. The fact that Japan drives on the same side of the road as us has a bearing on what we get. China has started marketing their Great Wall utes here but I have yet to see one on the road. Rumor has it that quality might be a problem.

 

[Jim Shooz]

Well that will get banned but that B word was given the go-ahead by the New Zealand Broadcast Complaints Authority and the commercial ran for years.

 

[3930dave]

The Ranger was introduced in mid-1982 for the 1983 model year and had an available 4-cylinder 59 hp 2.2 L Mazda/Perkins diesel. In 1985, a Mitsubishi-built 2.3 L turbodiesel with 86 hp replaced the Mazda diesel engine. The diesels were no longer an option after 1987.

They were tough little trucks with tough little engines.

And, therein lies the problem....... they were interfering with the Big Truck = BIG Profit mantra that Detroit prefers. Never forget Big Oil either.

"Customers didn't want them" - yeah, right. Not for everybody, agreed, but there is always a substantial market for these type/size of vehicles - look at the # of people today driving Sport Cutes today.

Rgds, D.

 

[3930dave]

Here's a tv commercial we had back in 1999 about the performance of the Hilux

Bugger - YouTube

We have very few American trucks/utes whatever you like to call them (although we generally think if it hasn't got about 18 wheels or more, it aint a truck) left hand drive, high fuel consumption, high price. Toyota would have the major share of the market with Nissan, Ford/Mazda, Holden(Chev)/Isuzu, Mitsubishi, taking the other half. The fact that Japan drives on the same side of the road as us has a bearing on what we get. China has started marketing their Great Wall utes here but I have yet to see one on the road. Rumor has it that quality might be a problem.

Wow, you get great trucks, and your TV commercials are even way better than ours - I gotta move !

My Kiwi slang is rusty, I was thinking "Tough Little B___________ ", forgetting that it was a generic exclamation point.

Thanks for the vid, I had a good chuckle !

Rgds, D.

 

[dfkrug]

China has started marketing their Great Wall utes here but I have yet to
see one on the road. Rumor has it that quality might be a problem.

Funny video, Jim. That Toyota is basicly the same as my 2004 Tacoma V6 4x4 Xtracab. Tho the
diesel engine sure is loud. Last time I was in NZ (early 90s) or in Oz (late 80s), Toyota
seemed to be the preferred 4x4.

Here is a Great Wall, seen in Chile last FEB. Nice looking, and numerous. Probably fairly cheap, if
my visit to the Chery dealer was any indication. The model is a Wingle 5 CRDi, so I guess it
is a 5 cylinder diesel. Looks pretty new. (Who comes up with those names?)

 

[dfkrug]

How about a Tata, perhaps made in India?

This is a Tata Xenon Dicor 2.2l. It's a DI turbo diesel.

Note the large wheel hub center caps. Rollbars in the small cargo bed seem very
popular here, tho they usually only serve to support high-mounted lights.

 

[RFB]

I know this is stretching the genre, but i would really like a full one ton Toyota Diesel, like an F-350/450 puller.

 

[3930dave]

How about a Tata, perhaps made in India?

This is a Tata Xenon Dicor 2.2l. It's a DI turbo diesel.

Note the large wheel hub center caps. Rollbars in the small cargo bed seem very
popular here, tho they usually only serve to support high-mounted lights.

df - would you know if those center caps are just decorative, or by chance would they be covering old school mechanical locking hubs ?

Given the prevalence of these diesel trucks from low cost manufacturers like these two, I'd say we are looking at the real reason that the EPA is protecting the domestic US market from their "pollution".

Rgds, D.

 

[3930dave]

I'm not surprised reading this 2012 Oz review, as I knew the 4motion was impressive.

Volkswagen Amarok Review | 2012 TDI420, Eight-speed Auto, Single-Cab Page 1 of 2 | Reviews | Prices | Australian specifications

My money would probably still go into a stick truck, but that 8 spd Auto does sound impressive too.....

That Amorak would absolutely kill in the Canadian marketplace, and IMO, do at least OK in the US market. It would be perfect for long-haul towing a 5,000# boat or camper around, with truck payload on top of that, and still get decent fuel mileage.

Adding a brief 2013 review, as the tow rating was bumped up a bit....

More TDI Power and Towing Capacity for the Volkswagen Amarok 2013

Rgds, D.