Phil Collareno, Vehicle Line Director, Commercial Vehicles, Ford of Europe, said: "The new Ranger is a rugged and professional vehicle with a no-nonsense approach to getting the job done. The all-new model also offers even higher levels of comfort and practicality."
New Ranger features a more aggressive and bolder look, a modern car-like interior, two new common-rail turbo-diesel engines featuring direct injection, improved ride and handling and increased load and towing capacity. It also builds on the strengths that have won it acclaim around the world – its proven durability, impressive off-road ability, advanced safety features plus quality and ruggedness that inspire confidence.
Peter Fleet, Director, Commercial Vehicles, Marketing, Sales & Service, Ford of Europe, said: "Ford Ranger has a growing body of loyal customers across Europe. Over the last two years our Ranger sales have increased by more than 50 per cent. We have every confidence that the all-new Ranger will attract even more new customers who will certainly feel the difference!"
The new Ranger continues to offer a range of three different body styles to suit the diverse needs of pick-up customers. The four-door Double Cab has plenty of room for 5 adults – providing flexibility for both leisure and business. The four-door Super Cab boasts it's first-to-market pillar-less reverse hinged rear-door system for easy access to the back seats, and provides the versatility of additional storage and space to seat four people. The two-door Regular Cab is a two-seater that provides class-leading load space.
“Ranger is a smart choice because it offers the best of both worlds – a dependable, genuine workhorse for the industrious worker and a great family vehicle with the quality, safety, comfort and modern conveniences they demand. Offering impressive fuel economy, the Ranger also represents an excellent investment with affordable pricing and competitive lifetime ownership values", said Collareno.
Tough New Exterior
Outside, the new Ranger has a purposeful look. Immediately noticeable are the imposing new bonnet and large wide grille opening that dominate the front of the cab, while prominent wheel arches help protect the bodywork and emphasize the Ranger's tough stance and profile.
The split front bumper and integrated fog lamps are designed to be protected during off-road driving, while the clean look of the front is emphasized by new clear lens reflector headlamps with jewel-like details.
Together with wider tracks and larger wheels with all-terrain tyres, the new Ranger produces a more confident and purposeful on-road stance. The styling is distinctly Ford with a larger, truck-sized Ford logo badge mounted proudly on two horizontal chrome bars.
Designers have opened up the front end to direct more air into the engine bay through a wider grille as well as from under the bumpers. This new design generates even better cooling for heavy-duty hauling and towing as well as for customers using their Ranger in hot climates.
Flowing upwards from the grille and over the hood is a muscular V-shaped “power dome” that progressively widens towards the base of the windscreen. Other exterior details include new large door handles that are more ergonomic.
Wedge-shaped Side Profile
New Ranger’s side view has also been strengthened with a higher beltline giving it more substance. As well as adding to the Ranger’s rugged appeal, the redesigned body side is sleeker, more aerodynamic and modern with a cleaner, simplified look.
The revised beltline has been raised and angled so that the side creates a modern, wedge-shaped profile. It is 17mm higher at the front, 25mm higher in the B-pillar area and 35mm higher at the rear of the cabin. The sheet metal flows seamlessly into the side walls of the pickup box, which has been raised by 60mm for greater storage volume and a more solid look.
The large, confident surfaces enhance occupant protection while also adding to Ranger’s robust appearance. The sheet metal also looks more substantial and cleaner with the removal of the upper character line that featured on the side of the previous model.
The Rear – Designed For Tough, Industrial Use
The rear of the new Ford Ranger is dominated by the new pickup box with taller sidewalls and tailgate for a tougher appearance and greater functionality. Capacity of the box has been increased by 166 litres to 1,266 litres, providing plenty of space for large items and a customer’s one-tonne load.
The tailgate itself is easy to open and features a handle specifically designed for workers wearing thick gloves. Flanking the tailgate are larger tail-lamps, which are more stylish and offer greater visibility at night.
Option For Even Tougher Looks
For those customers looking for the ultimate Ranger, the popular 'Thunder/Limited' package is available for the new model, offering a bright tubular sports bar (depending on market), chrome side sill bar and rear chrome underbar, which complement the Ranger's already sporty and tough look. Moving inside, buyers of the Thunder/Limited package can enjoy the comfort of leather seats.
The purposeful profile of the new Ranger is set off by attractive new 16-inch alloy wheels on 245/70R16 tyres (15-inch on some models). The new wheel/tyre combinations also provide better grip in all road conditions.
Stylish New Interior
The interior of the new Ranger has been completely re-designed. It will surprise and delight customers with modern and refined interiors that provide car-like comfort and an up-market ambience. Interior layout, fittings and materials feature high levels of quality and craftsmanship, clever attention to detail, intuitive design, modern style and relaxing comfort – without compromising the day-to-day use of Ranger as a trusted and sturdy workhorse.
Ford designers responded to demands for improved convenience, comfort and safety by addressing ergonomic issues throughout the cabin of the new Ranger. Functional and stylish dials and other controls are placed thoughtfully so customers know intuitively their location. They are easy to reach and natural to operate with a refined quality feel. These improvements to ergonomics also make driving safer by ensuring controls can be handled easily by the driver without the need to take his or her eyes off the road for extended periods.
More supportive seats boast a new sculpted seatback, wider shoulders, improved bolster and larger headrests. The Thunder/Limited fascia now features an off-road information centre, which includes a direction compass, climb/descent and inclination angle gauge, and a temperature gauge.
The angular centre stack is finished in an attractive shade of silver, and bright silver chrome detailing continues into the instrument cluster, ventilator grilles, gearshift, window switches and inner door handle.
There are numerous stowage areas in the new Ranger, including an industry first: a working tray table which pulls out from the instrument panel above the capacious 8.1-litre glove box. The tray – suitable for placing a lunch, clipboard or mobile phone – slides away neatly after use. Additionally, a two-bin centre console has the capacity for storing up to ten Compact Discs, two mobile phones and a variety of other items.
The new Ranger features an integrated radio with an in-dash CD player and MP3 compatibility. An in-dash six-CD player and additional speakers is also available.
Efficient New Engine
Exceptional performance, class-leading torque, rapid engine response and great fuel economy – these are what customers will find in the cutting-edge diesel technology in the new Ford Ranger. The heart of Ford’s rugged one-tonne pickup truck has been revitalized with the introduction of a new turbo-diesel common-rail direct-injection TDCi engine.
Responding to customer demands, Ford has achieved the winning combination of delivering substantially better performance while using markedly less fuel and producing fewer emissions.
The new Ford Ranger is equipped with an all-new 2.5-litre Duratorq TDCi diesel engine that features a new common-rail fuel injection system. The engine provides increased power (143PS) and torque (330 Nm at 1,800 rpm) as well as improved fuel economy.
Significant characteristics of the four-cylinder engine include:
• Substantially more power and torque
• Rapid engine response
• Strong performance from idle
• Instant turbocharger response
• Smooth acceleration
• More efficient use of fuel and better fuel economy
• Fewer harmful emissions
The higher levels of refinement of the new TDCi engine also deliver a significantly quieter cabin.
Greater power and performance are achieved by the fuel being injected directly into the combustion chamber multiple times per cycle under extremely high pressure (1,600 bar) from a common-rail pump. This technology ensures the best possible mixture of fuel and air in the cylinders, resulting in efficient combustion for high torque and excellent fuel economy while also reducing engine noise and vibration.
Combined with a Variable Geometry Turbocharger (VGT) that provides an earlier and broader torque delivery as well as reduced turbo lag, the system increases power and torque across the driving range, ideal for powerful acceleration, carrying heavy loads and negotiating treacherous off-road conditions.
The key technologies utilised in the new engine include:
• High-pressure common-rail fuel injection which provides up to 1,600 bar for optimum injection pressures during all engine speeds and loads with improved power, torque, fuel efficiency, emissions, noise and vibration
• Direct Injection which injects fuel directly into the combustion chamber to provide more efficient combustion, more power and torque, better fuel efficiency and cleaner emissions
• Double overhead camshafts with four valves per cylinder whose high-lift valves significantly increase air intake, improve intake/exhaust efficiency and boost power and torque output
• A Variable Geometry Turbocharger (VGT) with a design that virtually eliminates turbo lag and broadens the torque curve for rapid engine response
• Closed-loop exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) with a cooler that reduces emissions
• High-output microprocessor to provide sophisticated control of engine variables under all driving and climatic conditions. The engine program control module (PCM) now has a self-diagnostic function and the software can be updated without replacing the PCM
• Intake manifold with swirl control valve that delivers improved efficiency and reduced harmful emissions
• Roller finger follower which reduces camshaft friction for improved fuel economy
• Dual counter-rotating balance shafts for reduced engine shaking
Improved Transmission
The transmission is Ford's proven Durashift 5-speed manual. Because of the impressive torque of the new TDCi engines, Ford has upgraded the five-speed manual transmission on new Ford Ranger. The transmission now comes with a dual-mass flywheel, triple-cone synchronizers and other improvements to reduce noise, vibration and harshness. Designed with the customer in mind, it has a more car-like feel with a shorter lever and reduced travel between gears.
The dual-mass flywheel has separated primary and secondary flywheels and a damper spring that is located inside the flywheel. This structure stabilizes rotation of the transmission primary shaft, reducing noise created by fluctuating engine speeds and greatly reducing vehicle 'boom' noise.
The new Ford Ranger uses a two-speed manual shift transfer case.
In normal on-road driving, torque is directed solely to the rear wheels, saving fuel and reducing wear on driveline components. In 4x2 mode, the remote free-wheel front axle can be disengaged via a switch on the instrument panel, allowing the front wheels to rotate freely. The effect is similar to unlocking wheel hubs. Owners benefit from reduced drag and improved fuel economy.
For off-road or low-traction conditions, the driver can select 4x4 high, which directs torque to both the front and rear wheels. For really rugged conditions, the driver can also select low-range 4x4 for the best traction performance.
A mechanical, multi-plate, torque-sensing limited slip differential apportions torque between the left and right sides of the vehicle. During cornering, the driving force is transmitted efficiently to the side with most traction, maintaining optimum torque balance. The result is a vehicle that offers better drivability and handling, particularly during high-speed cornering.
Increased Load Area and Towing Capacity
The new Ford Ranger has been developed to carry a full load and haul a heavy trailer over the most challenging surfaces. These impressive capabilities are made possible by Ranger’s new powertrain, stiffer body and upgraded suspension.
To validate these capabilities and ensure that the expectations of demanding Ford truck customers are achieved, the Ranger was subjected to extensive payload and trailer-towing tests in hot and cold climates. The new vehicle excelled in these no-holds-barred sessions, which included a tough test at 50°C hauling a full payload and trailer up a steady grade of six percent with half the radiator and half the intercooler blocked.
Beyond its impressive payload and towing performance, Ranger also features a flexible storage system that is vital in meeting the needs of customers with a variety of cargo-carrying needs. The side walls of the cargo box are now 60mm taller, enabling owners to store more equipment.
This translates into class-leading cargo capacity of 1,266 litres, an improvement of 166 litres over the previous generation. But the flexibility does not end there. Ford has built an innovative cargo-management system inside the cargo box. Ledges along the walls accommodate a simple do-it-yourself shelving system that allows heavier items to be stored on the load floor of the pickup box while smaller items can be carried on top of the shelves. Tie-down hooks have been repositioned lower in the rear of the box for added security when carrying loads.
Improved Ride and Handling
True to Ford's passion for driving quality, the new Ranger has significantly improved driveability. To deliver improved ride quality it has a larger and longer front suspension, torsion bars and spring bushing, larger wheels and all-terrain tyres, a larger diameter shock absorber, and increased leaf spring length to optimise ride quality. There is also a new rear stabiliser, and an improved hydraulic braking system.
The new Ranger provides safe and precise handling both laden and unladen thanks to its clever use of progressive damping and carefully tuned spring rates.
A vehicle approach angle of 32° and a departure angle of 21° in combination with a ramp angle of 28° and a ground clearance of 205mm help tackle steep climbs and rough grounds, while 'shift on-the-fly' allows for easy and quick 4x4 engagement when required. Combined with its extremely tractable engine offering high levels of available torque, the new Ranger is a true off-roader which is both rugged and capable in the harshest of environments.
Reduced Noise, Vibration and Harshness
Immediately noticeable when driving the new Ranger are its improved Noise, Vibration and Harshness (NVH) characteristics. This improvement has been achieved in a number of ways.
The engine is quieter due to a new cooling fan system and very precise fuel injection patterns which are controlled by the advanced computer-managed high pressure common-rail system. Furthermore, the dual mass flywheel increases engine response and reduces engine vibration to provide smooth acceleration and responsiveness.
Idle vibration is reduced thanks to stiffer engine and body mounts and a stronger chassis frame. A new door seal system, carpet and panel insulations also help reduce engine and road noise.
No-Compromise Safety
The superior strength of the new Ford Ranger is more than skin deep, enhancing its reputation as one of the safest trucks on the road.
As more and more customers use their Ranger for day-to-day transportation, Ford's no-compromise approach to safety ensures that all occupants are equally protected. The new Ranger is equipped with standard front airbags for driver and passenger, plus optional side impact airbags for the front seats. Seatbelts are equipped with pre-tensioners to ensure maximum passenger protection in the event of an accident. Four-wheel anti-lock braking is standard across the range, helping to avoid a collision.
A revised ladder-frame platform features overlapped and cross-braced construction that boosts rigidity, making Ranger stronger and easier to drive – especially when carrying or towing heavy loads. Its unique body construction directs crash forces through the strengthened frame and away from vehicle occupants.
Protective beams in the doors and the raised beltline provide added safety and protection from side crashes. The vehicle is also safer thanks to the improved handling, which has been made more precise with revised suspension, improved aerodynamics and more responsive steering. In particular, these changes make long-distance travel more comfortable and less tiring.
Craftsmanship
In a dramatic leap forward from its predecessor, the new Ranger targets passenger car levels of craftsmanship inside. Superior quality materials are used, particularly in seat fabrics, door trims and the centre console to make the interior more relaxing, particularly for long trips. Not only do these materials add a refined ambience to the interior, they also have a more up-market feel that adds to the overall impression of comfort and quality.
Controls have been designed so they are easier to use. They have been placed more intuitively to improve ergonomics in the cabin, making driving more pleasant and less tiring.
Improved craftsmanship is also revealed in the external design with the front bumper beam concealed under the body-colour fascia. This provides a significantly reduced gap between the bumper and front end.
Extensive Testing
The new Ranger has undergone one of the toughest development and testing regimes ever undertaken for a vehicle of this type. Prototypes were driven extensively over a variety of road conditions at proving grounds in Arizona, Japan, Australia, and South Africa. Temperatures ranged from -25 to 50 degrees Celsius.
Early production vehicles were put through their paces through mountain ranges in Northern Thailand and Laos, the jungles of Borneo, across the Australian outback, and through Kruger National Park in South Africa.
Validation of Ranger’s dependability and performance involved local vehicle development engineers from around the world, trained to perform extreme vehicle testing. Ford truck owners and operators from many markets were asked to demonstrate how customers use Ford trucks in their daily routines and to ensure that the new Ranger would meet and exceed their needs and expectations.
Vehicles were driven over a variety of surfaces at speeds up to 160 km/h to identify, isolate, eliminate or suppress vibrations. High-tech laboratories, advanced Computer Aided Engineering (CAE) and the latest vehicle testing technology were used to ensure robust, durable, rugged and reliable engineering. For example, vehicle systems were subjected to the equivalent of 250,000km of shaking abuse to ensure the strength and capability of the frame, suspension and body construction.
[Source: Ford]
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