“Maverick,” was last used in mid-2000s.
Since we learned of Ford’s plans for a small pickup truck below the Ranger, a few names have circulated on the Internet. The Blue Oval seems to be keen on returning to an old name, but it is not “Courier” nor “Ranchero”, as previously thought. Our friends at Fast Lane Truck received an anonymous tip that showed them a CAD model of the tailgate. This revealed the name “Maverick”.
Depending on where Motor1.com is located, Maverick may bring back memories of small two- or four-door sedans that were sold in the United States during the 1970s. They had rear-wheel-drive configurations and straight-six or V8 engines. Between 1969 and 1977, North America saw a total of 2.1 million vehicles sold. 1974 was the most successful year for Ford, with just over 300,000. This fastback-styled car was designed to compete with the Volkswagen Beetle and other Japanese fuel-efficient models. It was eventually replaced by the more luxurious Granada.
In Australia, Ford sold a rebadged fourth generation Nissan Patrol Y60 with the same nameplate in the 1980s and first half of 1990s. The vehicle then made its way to Europe in 1990, where Ford built a Maverick from the Nissan Terrano II. After that, Ford revived the name in 2000 as a Euro-spec first generation Escape.
It’s interesting to note that “Maverick”, which was first found in Ford’s internal parts catalog, was at the start of the year. It was thought that it represented the name of the Bronco Sports at the time. This makes sense, as the unibody pickup will likely take styling cues not only from the small rugged SUV but also from the C2 platform that was introduced with the not for-America Focus in 2018.
Ford currently has a lot of work to do, including the launch of the new Bronco models as well as the next-generation F-150. The Maverick is unlikely to be released anytime soon. However, some reports suggest that it will be revealed sometime in 2021.