Ford takes covers off much-awaited next-gen Ranger

MANILA: Ford has officially unveiled the “smartest, most versatile, and most capable” Ranger ever.

Using years of truck expertise, Ford worked together with customers around the world to develop a vehicle and ownership experience in the next-gen Ranger that users can rely on for their businesses, families, and adventure.

In a statement, Ford President and Chief Executive Officer Jim Farley said, “With Ranger, we’ve had a big extended family for decades. This truck has always been a trusted partner to small business owners, farmers, families, adventurers, commercial fleets and so many more in more than 180 markets around the world and with the new Ranger, this is our moment to deliver. Not just a product our customers will love, but an always-on experience that will help us build strong and lasting relationships with them. This is the midsize truck people will want to own and experience.”

Aside from the introduction of the next-generation Ranger, Ford also highlighted its “always-on” commitment to customers, with a slew of services focused on convenience on their terms. These include service pickup and delivery, a Ranger Concierge program, and simplified online service booking options.

“When we reimagined the Ranger, we set out to create more than just a great new pickup truck; we set out to design a great experience as well. We are a family company, and we want our customers to feel like part of our family. The vehicle sale is just the beginning of our journey together,” Ford International Markets Group President Dianne Craig stated.

In parallel, Ford Global Trucks Enterprise Product Line Management Director Gary Boes said, “We’ve really packed a lot into the next-generation Ranger to inspire owners to do more of what they love to do, with features that encourage them to explore new horizons.”

This is what Ford refers to as “Living the Ranger Life” and it is something shared by every designer and engineer working on the next-generation Ranger.

“We’re truck owners too, and this passion for the Ranger lifestyle translates into a passion for the product. Ultimately, we want our customers’ experience with the pickup to enable and enhance their lifestyles,” Boes added.

Ford’s Product Development Center in Australia was in charge of the next-gen Ranger project. Its international team of designers and engineers collaborated with teams all over the world not only to integrate the most cutting-edge Ford technology, capability, and safety, but also to develop and test the Ranger to Ford’s most stringent standards.

“Our team was focused on one goal — to make this Ranger the toughest and most capable we’ve ever created. They put it through one of the most exhaustive global testing schedules we’ve ever developed and would not rest until we were satisfied that it was Built Ford Tough,” Ford Ranger Vehicle Program Director Graham Pearson stated.

The new rugged look of the next-generation Ranger was developed with customer input in mind. Ford spent a lot of time working with owners all over the world, conducting over 5,000 interviews and dozens of customer workshops to know how they used their pickups and what they needed and anticipated from the new Ranger.

The next-generation Ranger has a muscular exterior that matches Ford’s global truck design DNA, making it look powerful and confident. A redesigned grille and signature C-clamp headlight treatment are featured in the front, while a subtle shoulder line down the sides includes larger wheel arches, giving the Ranger a sure-footed presence. For the first time, the Ford Ranger comes with LED headlights. Meanwhile, the taillights are designed to match the signature graphics on the front. The Ranger’s car-like cabin features premium soft-touch materials and a large portrait-style center touchscreen with Ford’s Sync4 connectivity and entertainment system.

“Customers told us the Ranger needs to look tough and needs to inspire confidence. They were very clear in what Ranger should be, both in the way it looks, and the way it makes them feel,” Ford Ranger Chief Designer Max Tran said.

A new chassis sits beneath the new bodyworks, with a wheelbase 50mm longer and a track 50mm wider than the predecessor. The new V6 engine has greater room in the engine bay, thanks to a hydro-formed front-end structure, which also helps future-proof the Ranger for other propulsion technologies. It also allows more airflow to the radiator in the front of the pickup, which helps maintain low running temperature when towing or hauling heavy cargo.

Customers wanted greater power and torque for hauling heavy loads and off-roading, so the team developed Ford’s proven 3.0-liter V6 turbodiesel specifically for the Ranger. It is one of the three turbodiesel engine options offered at launch, with availability depending on the market.

“The 3.0-L turbodiesel V6 delivers,” Ford Ranger Program Manager Pritika Maharaj stated. “When you drive a Ranger with the V6 turbodiesel, it feels like a much bigger truck and it feels really tough in the sense that it got endless power and torque, which is exactly what our customers wanted.”

The next-gen Ranger will be available with either a Single Turbo 2.0 inline four-cylinder diesel or a Bi-Turbo 2.0 inline four-cylinder diesel. The Single Turbo is available in two performance levels and provides power, torque, and fuel economy, all of which are essential to small business owners of commercial vehicle fleets. Meanwhile, the Bi-Turbo engine is a more advanced performance variant for customers that desire greater power but want to save money on fuel.

The next-generation Ranger will also be offered in a tried-and-tested 2.3-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder engine that powers a wide range of Ford global products and is an excellent choice for customers who want petrol propulsion.

“We know our customers push their Rangers to the extreme, so that’s how we test them. We go the extra mile to make sure Ranger will do everything our customers want, over and over again,” Maharaj added.

In addition to the current six-speed automatic, new transmission options include an upgraded 10-speed automatic and a six-speed manual.

Engineers also concentrated on the fundamentals to produce the ride and handling required of a truck customer’s use for various work, family, and recreational activities.

“We have a really wide spectrum of customers. On one end, you might have small business owners looking for very work-oriented transportation. They want traditional two-wheel drive with a single cab and a load box to transport their goods. At the extreme other end, you have the serious off-roaders who really push their Rangers to the limit with endurance races like King of the Hammers or the Dakar Rally. The next-gen Ranger will meet the needs of both types of customers and everyone in between,” Pearson said.

The front wheels were pushed forward by 50mm to achieve a better approach angle and outboard for more off-road flexibility. The engineers also moved the rear suspension dampers outboard of the frame rails to provide the driver and passengers a smoother ride on and off the road, whether they are transporting heavy cargo for business or simply taking the family out to dinner.

“On the next-gen Ranger, we’ve increased the tuning range to give our customers the best of both worlds — think of this as Built Ford Tough Plus — so you’ve got the capability, toughness and durability that Ford trucks are known for, plus comfort and a more car-like ride that Ranger is known for,” Pearson added.

Customers also sought a modern, adaptable cockpit that could handle both work and family duties, therefore, the Ranger must function as both an office and a haven, combining smart and connected features with more comfort and storage.

The large 10.1-inch or 12-inch touchscreen in the center stack is the heart of the Ranger’s connected experience. It goes well with the fully digital instrument panel and is equipped with the aforementioned Sync4 system, which includes voice-activated communications, entertainment, and information systems. It also comes with a factory-fitted modem that allows connectivity on the go when linked to the FordPass App. FordPass helps upgrade the ownership experience with features such as remote start, vehicle status check, and remote lock and unlock functions through a mobile device.

Many of the typical driving mode controls have also been moved to their own specialized display on the Sync screen. Drivers can access the Ranger’s dedicated screen for all off-road and drive modes with just one press of a button, allowing them to monitor the driveline, steering angle, vehicle pitch and roll angles, and other controls.

The screen is also connected to a 360-degree camera that assists the driver when parking in tight spaces or when navigating along challenging terrains.

Every occupant will surely appreciate the clever storage and useful features made by the design team. There are places to put their phone or charge it wirelessly. There is also a spacious center console bin where they can store their belongings. The cabin also comes with larger door pockets, while the wide dash covers an upper glovebox. Storage bins are also located beneath and behind the rear seats.

The Ranger team also worked to guarantee that the load box can accommodate and secure a wider variety of cargo.

A new, durable plastic-molded bedliner helps protect the truck bed from scratches, and the owner’s knees from crouching on a steel truck bed. Extra cargo tie down points also make it easy to secure loads. Flexible load box caps conceal structural attachment points and canopies and other aftermarket accessories.

Customers will be able to customize their next-gen Ranger with a selection of around 600 factory-backed work, urban, and adventure accessories. These include those created in partnership with global off-road icon ARB 4x4 Accessories.

The next-generation Ranger will be manufactured at Ford’s plants in Thailand and South Africa starting 2022, with other markets to be revealed at a later date. More market launch details will be revealed in due time.

Photos from from Ford

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