The new generation of the Ford Ranger has arrived. The new pickup of the house of the blue oval is all new and has been developed to meet the needs of the European market where it is the leader in this segment. In fact, in the first 9 months of 2021, 45,539 units were sold in Europe with a market share of 39.9%.
The orders in the Old Continent will be open at the end of 2022. For the first deliveries, it will be necessary to wait until the beginning of 2023 and to see it on the road, therefore, still, some time will pass. The price list for the Italian market has not yet been communicated. Let’s see in more detail the first information shared by the manufacturer on this new pickup.
DESIGN AND INTERIORS
For its development, Ford made use of customer collaboration. The American manufacturer said it had conducted over 5,000 interviews and many workshops to understand how their customers use the pickups and what they expected from the new generation of the Ranger. What was learned was used to develop the design and content of the new model.
The new generation of the Ford Ranger presents a more assertive and naughty look than that of the current model, with a design that incorporates many elements that we find in the F-150 pickup. A new grille and C-shaped light clusters stand out from the front.
The manufacturer says that for the first time the Ranger can have headlights with LED Matrix technology. At the rear, the pickup lights have been designed in “harmony” with the design of the front ones.
The new pickup has been designed to be a transversal product, suitable for families as well as professionals. For this reason, the interiors have been treated a lot to raise the quality bar. We find, for example, new soft-touch materials and a large vertical display (10.1 or 12 inches) for the infotainment that has the SYNC 4 platform.
On closer inspection, the interior also shows a design with several points in common with that of the F-150 pickup. To offer maximum practicality, inside the passenger compartment we find several storage compartments.
The multimedia system offers all the latest digital solutions developed by Ford and supports the OTA updates. This means that more features will come in the future. Under the bodywork, we find an updated chassis which has led to an increase in the wheelbase and track of the pickup by 50 mm.
A hydroformed front structure has made it possible to create more space in the engine compartment in order to accommodate the new V6 engine and all the units that the manufacturer may decide to implement in the future without problems. The suspension and set-up have also been revised to improve driveability at full load.
Ford took great care of its construction of the caisson which has been designed to be as practical to use as possible. We find several anchor points, power sockets and a panel that allows you to organize the interior space in an orderly manner. Furthermore, once opened, the tailgate can be used as a work table.
ENGINES
With regard to the engines, Ford did not provide very many details. Customers will choose at launch between different engines. There will be the well known V6 3.0 turbo diesel from Ford in a revised version. Then there will be two further diesel units.
The first will be a 4-cylinder turbo with 2 litres of displacement proposed in two power levels. The third engine will be a twin-turbo 4-cylinder, again with 2 litres of displacement. The transmission will be manual or automatic. There will also be a four-wheel drive.
Precise details on the units for the European market have not yet been disclosed, as well as information on performance and consumption. From this point of view, one can only wait for further details from Ford. After all, there is still some time left to launch on the market.
