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I'll admit it. My automotive journalist friends might snicker, but
I love Ford Rancheros. Indeed, I love all pick-up cars. There is
something about them that is irresistible. Maybe it’s the attitude
that resonates from their massive sculpted bodies. From a pure
automotive designer's perspective, they are unbalanced, awkward,
and ungainly. Despite all off this, these cars, and yes, they are
cars, are blessed with great natural dimensions and an inner
beauty that resonates beyond their goofy exteriors. The low, long
front hoods and faired "b" pillars impute these vehicles with a
sense of motion and power unlike anything else on the road. By
comparison, an average pick-up looks static, the borrowed design
elements from 18 wheelers weighing them down. Not so with the
pick-up car. Its dynamic, ferocious, and ready to do just about
anything. In Australia the pick-up cars, or Ute, has been allowed
to evolve and develop into something quite amazing. Part sports
car, part utility, Utes exude an energy and humor that few cars
can match. We have nothing like them here in America. So the next
time you see that 1972 Ranchero GT, don’t snicker. Instead, step
back and enjoy the body work. You'll find that hidden inside that
mass of unbalanced metal, there is something quite beautiful. -
M.H.
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1. Plymouth Scamp
2. Ford Ranchero
3. Chevrolet El Camino
4. Subaru Baja
5. Holden Ute
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