The next-generation Ford Ranger, which will also be locally built, has been teased by the manufacturer once again with the promise that the new model will be tough and durable. The brand says its global team of development engineers will not be pulling any punches.
“Earning a Built Ford Tough status is not something we take lightly,” said John Willems, Ford Ranger Chief Program Engineer. “Every part of the next-generation Ranger was tested to the same standards that we demand of every Ford vehicle.”
The brand confirms that the next-generation Ford Ranger is being put through its paces across a series of tough terrains not only ensure that it is capable and customer ready but that it also meets what is described as the brand’s stringent world-class quality, reliability and durability standards.
“It’s important that our customers are able to rely on Ranger to deliver years of dependable service,” said Willems. “So, we’ve gone to great lengths to subject next-gen Ranger to extreme tests – stressing it much more than a typical consumer would – to help ensure it is ready to face everything life throws at it.
“Whether it’s tackling muddy bush tracks, coping with the rigours of extreme tropical weather, towing over alpine passes, or enduring temperatures of more than 50° Celsius, Ranger has to do it all.”
Thus far, the next-generation Ford Ranger covered around 10 000km of desert driving, the equivalent of 1 250 000km of customer driving, and the equivalent of 625 000km of rugged off-road durability testing at maximum load capacity, and testing is continuing around the world. But even before the first prototypes hit the road for testing, Ford’s engineers subjected next-gen Ranger to thousands of hours of computer simulations and thousands more of real-world simulations in labs, covering everything from aerodynamics to component and structure durability.
“Computer simulations have helped us speed up development, while lab testing has helped us refine and test specific components – but there really is no replacement for real-world testing to really see how it stands up to years of customer use.
“Our job as engineers is to translate the customer experience insights into a clear product definition brief for the engineering group, which becomes the absolute reference for engineers. This is particularly important for the Ranger, given we are developing it to be sold across the globe,” Willems concluded.