Which came first, El Camino or Ranchero?
Ford's Ranchero came first, debuting in 1957, while Chevrolet's El Camino followed in 1959. The two models defined a niche for car-based pickups and sparked ongoing comparisons about their origins and evolution.
Timeline of introductions
To anchor the chronology, here are the key launch years for each model.
- Ford Ranchero — introduced for the 1957 model year, with public availability in 1957.
- Chevrolet El Camino — introduced for the 1959 model year, with public availability in 1959.
In short, the Ranchero predates the El Camino by about two years, establishing the earliest example of a car-based pickup in this niche.
Ford Ranchero
The Ranchero marked Ford's entry into the car-based pickup segment, designed to blend passenger-car comfort with pickup practicality. It debuted in 1957 and continued to evolve across subsequent generations into the 1960s and beyond.
Chevrolet El Camino
The El Camino arrived two years later as Chevrolet's counterpart, built to offer a similar mix of car-like ride and pickup utility. It too underwent multiple redesigns across its production life, spanning several generations through the 1960s to the 1980s.
Design lineage and market impact
Beyond the launch dates, these models helped define and popularize the car-based pickup niche in North America and abroad.
- The Ranchero helped Ford establish an early foothold in this niche, leveraging a passenger-car platform for a light-duty pickup.
- The El Camino represented Chevrolet's longer-running attempt to compete in the same space, influencing how automakers conceived and marketed car-based pickups for decades.
These points illustrate how each model contributed to the evolution of the concept, with the Ranchero initiating the trend and the El Camino sustaining competition and interest over time.
Summary
Ford's Ranchero came first, debuting in 1957, followed by Chevrolet's El Camino in 1959. The sequence established an early lead for the Ranchero in the car-based pickup niche and set the stage for decades of automotive storytelling.
