1990: Ford goes to the Burb’s
Ford sources guardedly acknowledged a report that the Dearborn auto maker would build a large 2 & 4 wheel drive vehicle to compete with GM’s successful Chevrolet and GMC Suburban. The “Suburban-fighter” reportedly was being developed from Ford’s PN38 truck platform. The PN38 vehicles, depending heavily on plastics technologies for reducing weight but retaining strength, were to be introduced in mid 1993 and roll out additional truck models through 1997. The pickup would be al new under the PN38 banner, and a version of it was to become the “Suburban-fighter”. Other PN38 derived models reportedly included new SUV entries in compact and full-size segments, new Ranger pickups, and another new van.
A muti-purpose vehicle with sliding doors on both sides and garageable dimensions was the supposed first PN38 introduced in mid-1993. An intermediate size pickup truck to compete with Dodge’s Dakota, was said to be cancelled in order to make the PN38 program less complex and costly.
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