SYDNEY – The Ford Ranger is not just the lynchpin of FMCSA’s upcoming export programme… The newcomer, revealed on the eve of the Sydney Motor Show, rises to the challenge laid down by the impressive new VW Amarok – not least the traditional double-cab brigade – with its own blend of machismo, refinement, safety and efficiency.
CARmag.co.za reported in April that the Blue Oval had invested a total of more than R3 billion to modernise and expand its Silverton-based facility and Puma-engine plant in Struandale in the run-up to the implementation of government’s Automotive Production Development plan in 2012. In doing so, Silverton’s capacity will next year grow to 110 000 units for the production of a single platform that underpins the new Ranger, Ford’s first global compact pick-up that’s earmarked for 180 countries. Apart from being sold in South Africa, Rangers produced at Silverton will be exported to Europe and Africa.
However, the partial unveiling of the new Ranger on Sydney’s Cockatoo Island is much more pertinent than what it symbolises for the future sustainability of one of South Africa’s long-standing vehicle manufacturers. As those who follow me on twitter (@MikeF_CARmag) would have noticed from the launch pictures I sent through this week, the Ranger is a bold, chiselled and particularly hefty double-cab! The longer wheelbase (now 3 220 mm in length – claimed to be longest in its class) and increased track front and rear (1 560 mm for the 4×4, 1 590 mm for the 4×2) are said to free up more legroom/stowage space in the rear and improve on-road stability respectively.
The Ranger’s load box is all of 1 549 mm long and thanks to the high shoulder line, which also creates a narrow side window profile, the bak height has increased to 511 mm and the cargo volume to 1 210 dm3. Maximum cargo width is 1 560 mm and the width between the wheel arches is 1139 mm, but the most interesting nugget of information for off-road aficionados is probably that the minimum ground clearance for the 4×4 models, as well as 4×2 Hi-Rider versions, is 230 mm with the standard 16-inch tyres fitted.
At the unveiling, the general response to the Ranger’s exterior was mostly positive; some observers praised the balance that the Ranger’s designers struck between old school blockiness and robustness and the slick styling cues carried across from Ford’s Kinetic design language… others said it looked “like an Amarok clone from the front”. In my opinion, I’ll wait to see what a soberly-specced model, with less brightwork, a more everyday paint finish and conventional tyres and rims will look like in the metal. The “G-Shock watch inspired” (Ford’s description, not mine!) interior facia design is probably the most progressive design detail of the vehicle, but as the prototype shown at Cockatoo Island was trimmed with only a mock interior it remains to be seen whether the actual cabin’s build quality and materials will match up with those of the best… Stay tuned!
Significantly, safety specification and fuel efficiency, two factors that have traditionally been major drawbacks of double-cab ownership (at least until the Amarok reached our shores, some may say) have received special attention in the new version of the Ranger.
A longer, stiffer ladder frame chassis, a new coil-over-strut front suspension that allows for better tuning of the upper and lower wishbone design, a fast rack-and-pinion steering system (no more than 3.5 turns of the wheel lock-to-lock) and hydraulic body mounts will certainly enhance ride comfort. However, to contend with drivers who tend to push on when negotiating gravel roads (often with heavy laden-vehicles), there are now several electronic nannies in place: ABS with EBD and brake assist, four-wheel traction and yaw control, roll-over mitigation, trailer sway control and adaptive load control. Full-length curtain and dual front side airbags are now offered, as are ISOFIX child seat anchor points. A reverse camera and rear park assist are optional.
And although it remains to be seen whether the new Ranger engine line-up of two Duratorq turbodiesels and single Duratec petrol engine will be able to match the best in class in terms of carbon dioxide emissions when official consumption figures are released, it is clear that the Blue Oval has prioritised efficiency with its new Ranger…
For example, there is no large-capacity V6 powerplant! Instead, there’s a new 2,2-litre four-cylinder TDCi I4 diesel engine with peak torque of 375 N.m and power output of 110 kW, a 3,2-litre five-cylinder TDCi I5 diesel engine (470 N.m and 147 kW), and the petrol engine is a 2,5-litre four pot claimed to produce 122 kW. For the first time, Ranger diesel models will be available with either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission, and petrol models will have five-speed manual ‘boxes as standard.
By the time you read this report, the Ranger would have made its official debut at the opening day of the Sydney Motor Show. According to Jacques Brent, the South African executive who was recently appointed the marketing director for Ford’s Asia, Pacific and Africa region, the Ranger will be offered, alongside the newest version of Mazda’s BT-50 in both two- and four-wheel drive configurations and in single, king cab and double-cab body styles when the new series arrives in the South African market next year.
In terms of its broad range of vehicles, the new Ranger will definitely do its utmost to push to the front of South Africa’s LCV and DC markets. If FMCSA can strike a sweet balance between keen pricing and competitive standard specification with the new Ranger, market leader Toyota might want to expedite the launch of the next-generation Hilux and Volkswagen may feel compelled to extend its Amarok range with at least an automatic model… I’ve been a long-time Double-Cab Detractor, but even yours truly is coming around!