Next-Gen Ford Ranger takes power to the next level
A 50mm track and wheelbase increase for next-gen Ranger has improved vehicle stability on- and off-road. It has also improved the front approach angle to 30 degrees (up from 28.5 degrees in the prior model) and rear departure angle to 23 degrees (up from 21 degrees in the prior model).
The Ford Ranger has built a reputation around the world for being a tough and capable pickup, with more and more customers trusting it to deliver years of dependable service for both work and play.
Ford has continued to strengthen customer trust in the Ranger by listening to owners and delivering on features that matter to them most. Next-gen Ranger takes this to the next level with a bakkie that offers customers exceptional towing and hauling, incredible off-road capability and a choice of durable and fuel-efficient engines.
“The Ford product development team’s goal with the next-gen Ranger was to deliver a vehicle that met the needs of customers in more than 180 different markets and be the one truck the world trusts to tackle anything,” said Graham Pearson, vehicle program director for Ranger. “And to be that one truck the world trusts, next-gen Ranger had to excel in several key areas: stance and stability, towing, off-road capability, performance, and drivability.” Powertrains for Work, Family and Play Whether a customer’s priority is fuel economy, refinement, towing or hauling the powertrains chosen for next-gen Ranger will provide customers with the best performance and capability, according to Pritika Maharaj, Ranger and Everest program manager.
The headline grabber is the addition of Ford’s proven 3.0-litre V6 turbodiesel, which is being offered on both Ranger and the Everest SUV. “We’re offering this engine specifically because some customers told us they wanted more power and torque for towing and extreme off-roading,” said Maharaj.
But the 3.0-litre V6 turbodiesel also is strong in the literal sense of the word with the compacted graphite iron (CGI) block around 75% stronger and 75% stiffer than the iron used in traditional engine blocks.
In addition to the 3.0-litre V6 turbodiesel engine, the next-gen Ranger will continue to offer the choice of the proven Single-Turbo and the Bi-Turbo 2.0 inline four-cylinder diesels.
The Single Turbo comes in two different performance levels, offering 110kW and 350Nm, and 125kW and 405Nm.
“We know our customers push their Rangers to the extreme, so that’s how we test them,” Maharaj said. “We push them to the limit initially on dynos, where they get exposed to extreme loads, temperatures, and aggressive duty cycles. Then we test the vehicle in markets from the frigid cold areas of Europe and New Zealand to the hot humid markets of Southeast Asia.
Transmission choices include a 10-speed auto that also sees service in the Ford F-150 and F-150 Raptor and has notched up more than six million kilometres of testing, including more than 3,900km of sanctioned off-road racing, including at the Baja 1000. This transmission will be available on the 3.0-litre V6 and 2.0-litre Bi-Turbo engines, across Ranger and Everest.
The current six-speed automatic transmission available on Ranger will continue along with the introduction of a new five- and six-speed manual transmission for Single Turbo diesel
variants. The new manual transmission was four years in development across four continents and boasts a new gear set for smoother shifts.
Ready for the Road Less Travelled “Our customers told us that one of the reasons they love Ranger is because it’s one of the best vehicles on the road for ride comfort and car-like performance. So, retaining that and balancing it with off-road performance has been key throughout the development of nextgeneration Ranger,” said Rob Hugo, dynamic experiences supervisor, Ranger.
A 50mm track and wheelbase increase for next-gen Ranger has improved vehicle stability on- and off-road, said Hugo. It has also improved the front approach angle to 30 degrees (up from 28.5 degrees in the prior model) and rear departure angle to 23 degrees (up from 21 degrees in the prior model). The latter is the same when a towbar is fitted due to packaging improvements.
Further to the track increase which helped the team increase the width of next-gen Ranger’s tray for a more versatile load space, the rear dampers were moved outboard of the springs which makes for a more controlled ride whether the vehicle is laden or not.
Whether you’re a traditionalist or someone looking for additional peace of mind on the road, Ford is offering two four-wheel drive systems for nextgen Ranger. The base four-wheel drive is a ‘part-time’ system with a two-speed electronic shift-on-the-fly transfer case offering 2H, 4H and 4L as modes of operation. Next-gen Ranger is also available with an on-demand four-wheel drive system (2H, 4A, 4H, and 4L) which allows Ranger to be driven in four-wheel drive on high-traction surfaces via its 4A (automatic) mode. When selected, the system continuously distributes power between the front and rear axles for optimum performance in all on-road conditions.
“This means a Ranger driver can just leave the truck in four-wheel drive (4A) and head off down the highway, down a country road, over a snowy mountain or across a sand dune without having to do anything else,” Hugo said. Selectable Drive Modes
It used to be that only Ranger Raptor offered selectable drive modes, but now next-gen Ranger will offer up to six, depending on the variant and market. The modes are: Normal, Eco, Tow/Haul (auto only), Slippery for on-road, and Mud/Ruts and Sand for use off-road. These modes adjust everything from the gearshift to throttle response, traction and stability controls, ABS and more.
“These selectable drive modes are a very simple way of getting advanced traction to the wheels the way it needs to be delivered without having to be an expert,” said Hugo.
In addition to the selectable drive modes, next-gen Ranger boasts a dedicated off-road screen on the SYNC infotainment system. At the press of a button, owners can access the off-road SYNC screen, which shows driveline and diff lock settings, steering angle, vehicle pitch and roll angles, as well as a front camera view with predictive overlay guidelines.