COMING SOON
The Ford Ranger, a popular choice among Thai pickup enthusiasts prioritising product substance over brand credentials, is set to get a second facelift late next week.
The exterior change is likely to mirror that of the US-spec Ranger, which was revealed at the Detroit motor show last January with slimmer lights and grille. New light casings at the rear are also part of the visual revision.
However, this isn’t merely a cosmetic refresh. A new downsized diesel-turbo is due in the Ranger, as well as a 10-speed automatic transmission.
Called EcoBlue, the 2.0litre engine has been flexibly engineered with outputs below 200hp in single-turbo form and above that level in twin-turbo guise. The first model in Thailand to receive this new diesel is the Ranger Raptor, where it produces 213hp.
Although EcoBlue can theoretically replace today’s 2.2-litre four-cylinder and 3.2-litre five-pot Duratorq motors (also shared by the Mazda BT-50) in one go, the Thai Ford office is thought to be taking a staggered approach by introducing it in higher models initially.
The Everest, an SUV largely based on the Ranger, is also set to receive EcoBlue when it is revised and launched in Thailand tomorrow. Unlike the eight-yearold donor vehicle, this is the first time the Everest will be facelifted and updated mechanically after being on the market in its current generation since 2015.