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The all-new Ranger embodies ‘21st Century Tough’ with its sculpted shape, powerful stance and confident proportions
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The all-new Ranger will be offered in three bodystyles – Single, Super and Double Cabs – all of which are among the roomiest in the segment
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The all-new Ranger’s driver-oriented interior offers a contemporary look and feel with high levels of craftsmanship, features and comfort normally found only in passenger cars
NELSPRUIT, South Africa, 25 Oct., 2011 – The all-new Ranger emanates power and presence from every angle, echoing the toughness and capability the pickup truck is geared to deliver. Looking both muscular and contemporary, the all-new Ranger is as equally at home on a farm as it is parked outside an upmarket restaurant.
The all-new Ranger’s high levels of spaciousness, comfort and craftsmanship further complete its transformation into a reliable workhorse as well as a refined family vehicle that can easily carry five adults.
At 5274 mm long and 2163 mm wide, the all-new Ranger is one of the longest among competitors and its wheelbase, front and rear track have all increased. Yet it remains easily manoeuvrable on narrow city streets and during parking thanks to a responsive steering system that requires no more than 3.5 turns of the wheel lock-to-lock.
The all-new Ranger will be offered in three bodystyles – Single, Super and Double Cabs – all of which are among the roomiest in the segment. An innovation introduced by Ford on the Ranger in 2002, the Super Cab has a unique four-door system that provides unobstructed access to the cabin via two forward-hinged doors and two rear-hinged access panels. The front doors and the rear panel doors link together, when closed, to provide a very strong B-pillar.
To cater to a wide spectrum of customers, the all-new Ranger goes from a more ‘workhorse’ feel for the XL customer to a more luxurious feel for the XLT customer and an overtly sporty feel for the Wildtrak customer. In South Africa the compact pickup will be available in four series choices with an extensive list of practical features.
“We tailored the all-new Ranger’s series and configurations to accommodate a variety of customer applications and lifestyles around the world. Each series looks fantastic on its own,” said Craig Metros, chief designer of the all-new Ranger.
“We designed to a wide spectrum. From our fleet buyers who expect a tough, workhorse with a hose-out interior to the executive who demands full leather seating with luxury sedan appointments.”
The new look of tough
Blending the “Built Ford Tough” theme and kinetic design cues into a styling the designers call “21st Century Tough”, the team has designed a pickup that looks up-to-date as well as rugged.
The traditional square form of the truck has been sculpted to give the all-new Ranger a more modern and aerodynamic look. Its front end features a short overhang with the signature three-bar grille and flanking nostrils, reflecting global Ford truck design. The front end is chamfered from the grille back to the wheel arches with a body accent line that flows through the headlights to the hood, resulting in a tough and functional shape.
The cut lines, surface treatments and graphics tie in to the flowing design of the grille, headlights and hood, displaying an attention to detail usually only seen on cars and SUV’s. The windscreen has been raked back for a sportier and more dynamic silhouette, while larger headlamps, bigger mirrors and stamped-in wheel lips provide an integrated look across all series and contribute to an aggressive and sporty stance.
Designers also raised the beltline significantly, providing superior cab protection for the driver and passengers. The bodyline flows from the top of the cargo box through the doors to the closing line of the clam-shell hood design, adding to the all-new Ranger’s powerful image.
“When it comes to designing cars and trucks, it’s all about nailing the proportions – the tyres to body stance, short front overhang, windscreen angle, and the right body to side glass relationship,” said Metros, a 24-year Ford veteran who has had an influential hand in Ford pickup design around the world.
“Our goal was to match the overall looks and presence to the capability and on-off road performance that the all-new Ranger will deliver. I believe we achieved a very confident, capable, modern, and sophisticated, Built Ford Tough pickup truck for the global market.”
A deeper box
Each cab type has a unique box that is designed to be part of the truck and more integrated into the cab with a slight curve to the top of the box. At the top of the tailgate, a slight rear spoiler helps raise overall fuel efficiency – a result of the collaboration between the design team and the aerodynamicists.
The higher beltline and raised rails of the load box increase the all-new Ranger’s functionality. The Single Cab and the Super Cab box volume is1.82 cubic metres and 1.45 cubic metres respectively while the Double Cab is among the top with 1.21 cubic metres.
Pockets above the wheel wells and along the side of the box allow truck owners to use timber inserts to carry full sheets of plasterboard or plywood. A flexible cargo management system is available on the Wildtrak where attachment points can be moved along a rail, instead of fixed points on the body, so customers have greater choice when tying down a load.
A 12-volt power socket is available on the Wildtrak where the bedliner is fitted. The power socket provides a 10-amp supply and is located conveniently in the box to allow customers to run compatible fridges and other electrical goods.
Comfortable and functional interior
The all-new Ranger offers a stylish look and feel with features and comfort normally found only in passenger cars. Designers combined tough functionality, high-quality materials and ergonomic controls that look high-tech to create an interior that is tough but not rough.
Inspired by contemporary designs in consumer products, the design team borrowed from the look of power tools which convey strength and durability while remaining simple and ergonomic to use. The G-Shock®1 watch – with its precision workings protected by a robust casing – was a major influence on the instrument cluster. The team created similar elements, including little chaplets to the outside of the cluster, to give it a more rugged appearance.
The centre section of the console has been purposefully designed to audio functions and controls for the dual electronic automatic air conditioning system on the Wildtrak. A new, lever-style parking brake and a smaller adjustable steering wheel further reinforce the car-like feel of the interior.
Great care has been taken when selecting the interior colour scheme, so that worksite dirt doesn’t show while ensuring the surfaces do not appear too dark. Graphics and textures were also used throughout the cabin to accentuate areas such as buttons and switches that customers touch and interact with the most. A combination of colours, grain and non-reflective materials help control glare and veiling on the windscreen, hence improving visibility and safety.
Up front, drivers get a commanding view of the road and off-road obstacles, thanks to the high seating position in all front seats. The driver’s seat is available in two-way, four-way or eight-way adjustability. The premium eight-way power adjustable seat in the Wildtrak is new to the Ranger and offers tailored seating positions at the touch of a button.
In the rear, the Double Cab offers improved comfort and leg room, with seats that can flip up and be secured for additional load space or access to valuable under-seat stowage. The seats also feature ‘shingle’ type head restraints, which allow for improved rearward visibility when not in use.
All seats are finished with materials that will stand up to the demands of a workhorse while delivering a lasting quality appearance. From the no-fuss vinyl seats of the base series to the cloth trim and leather of the higher series, all materials used in the all-new Ranger were subjected to heavy-duty testing for commercial vehicle use.
“We’ve paid careful attention to every little detail to deliver a pickup truck that is world-class both inside and out,” said Metros. “The all-new Ranger is every bit as capable, modern and dynamic as it looks and feels.”
