CC Capsule: 1995 Ford Ranger Splash – Victim Of Changing Tides

Do you find the Styleside short bed Ranger simply too roomy and boring?  Ford has just the thing!

Well, Ford had just the thing, but they’ve since killed this friendly little trucklet.  Let’s take a moment to enjoy the curves of perhaps the sauciest Ranger iteration produced:

I took these photos at my local community college after class.  This is also where I photographed the Intrigue, and it is proving to be a great place to spot CC material.

Not much to see here, though I do think this version was the best-looking Ranger after the boxier 1989-1992 versions.  I like my cars broughamy and my trucks simple!

This must be the Custom trim level.

The Splash was introduced for the 1993 model year on the face-lifted Ranger, just after the F-150 Flareside in 1992. I seem to recall there was a collective sigh of relief from Ford fans at having a stepside bed on the F-150 and Ranger as Chevy/GMC seemed to be selling zillions of stepsides since the 1988 redesign of their half-ton pickups.

I remember Ranger Splash ads as being distinctly lighthearted, perhaps too much so, but I guess if a Splash will transport you and your smokin’-hot girlfriend to a tropical rainforest waterfall, who am I to argue?

http://youtu.be/RcrGXXObTjI

The graphics down the side always looked a bit silly to me, but the Splash seemed to sell well enough in spite of it.

I believe this interior signifies this truck as a ’95-’97 model, though I am not a Ranger historian and am open to being educated in the comments.  Was this interior stolen from the 1995 Explorer, or was it the other way around?

Well, that about does it for our quick Ranger Splash story today and the Ranger in general.  RIP, you saucy little minx.