Ford claims it spent a lot time talking to truck owners in order to understand their needs.
Ford Australia has finally announced the date it will begin production on the next generation Ranger. The global version of the midsize pickup truck is what we’re referring to. Rumours suggest that the pickup for North America won’t enter production until May 2023, before going on sale in July. The wraps will be removed on November 24, a decade after the arrival of the T6-gen model.
Blue Oval released another teaser image+video combination to accompany the announcement. It shows the design process and a shadowy version of the front fascia. The familiar C-shaped daytime running lamps of this truck will be available in over 180 countries. It will also be the next Amarok in the Ford-VW tie-up.
Ford conducted over 5,000 interviews with truck-owners during the development phase to find out what their clients wanted from a pickup. Ford also held workshops with Ranger owners from around the world to learn how they use their trucks and what their likes and dislikes are. Ford also took note of what customers wanted to see in the new Ranger.
According to Ford, the Toyota Tacoma competitor will be the most capable Ranger, with “designed to go further, work harder, and offer more comfort, refinement, than ever before.” Ford claims that prototypes were subject to 10,000 km (6,213 mile) of desert driving. This is equivalent to a Ranger owner driving the truck no less than 1,250,000 kilometers (776,714 mi) or going off-road 625,000 km (388,357 mil) with maximum load capacity.
Ford has not released any details about the technical specifications. We will have to wait for the official debut, which is expected to take place in just over three weeks. The new Ranger will be the first to feature a plug-in hybrid powertrain. It also includes a pair turbodiesels, consisting of a twin turbine 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine and a larger 3.0-liter V6. The Raptor’s high-performance Raptor derivative is rumored to be getting a 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6, that would replace the current twin-turbodiesel used globally by the outgoing model.
Inside, expect a 15.5-inch touchscreen to display the portrait-oriented infotainment software likely running on SYNC 4. The agenda includes a fully digital 12-inch driver’s screen and a smaller 12-inch central screen for lower-spec trims. The agenda includes wireless integration of Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, and many other features that Ford Australia will livestream on November 24, when the big debut will take place on YouTube.
Last note: The Ranger will be reborn in an SUV version, similar to the Everest but only available in certain parts of the world.