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20-05-2011, 06:07 PM
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New Ford Ranger Defines Tough Style
February 19 2009
* Ford designers deliver modern design features to the compact pickup segment, including distinctive three-bar grille, twin lateral nostrils, wrap-around headlamps and raised hood that define new Ranger's 'Tough Style'
* Dominant power and torque from advanced TDCi diesel engine range underlines Ford Ranger's Tough Style
* Ford's TDCi Duratorq engines employ variable-geometry turbocharger technology and computer controlled engine management to produce excellent response, fuel efficiency and durability. Available in 2.5-litre and 3.0-litre displacement versions
* Offering more versatility and improved security, Ford Ranger pioneered the Super Cab body style with innovative reverse swinging rear doors. Ranger Super Cab continues to gain popularity with urban, recreational buyers. Ranger also offers Single Cab and Crew Cab models. All Ranger body styles are available in pickup or chassis cab configuration
* Ranger is available in three series levels, from XL and XLT to the well-equipped Wildtrak model with its bold exterior body design treatments
* New Ranger offers a choice of five-speed manual and five-speed automatic transmissions in 4x2 and 4x4 variants
* New Ranger's refined driving qualities and high build quality combine with a minimum payload capacity of 1000kg and a maximum towing capacity of 3000kg (model dependent)
* Maximising its urban appeal, new Ranger is available with 18x7.5-inch alloy wheels and 255/60 R18 tyres – the largest OE wheel offered in its segment
* New Ranger continues to offer compact pickup buyers best-in-class driving dynamics with precise steering and braking control
BANGKOK, THAILAND – February 19, 2009 – Ford elevates Ranger to new heights in style and design defined by its distinctive, muscular Tough Style exterior. With genuine class-leading TDCi power and performance, the new Ford Ranger for 2009 also comes loaded with real visual excitement.
Ford's global leadership and expertise in pickup truck design and development has led to considerable improvements to its compact Ranger pickup. Respected throughout more than 130 markets around the world, the new Ford Ranger effectively combines genuine durability and toughness with a new distinct and muscular exterior design.
“Through the years Ranger has earned the respect from those who depend on their truck every day,” says Ian Constance, Product Development Director, Ford Motor Company, Asia Pacific and Africa.
“The new Ranger leverages its toughness with Ford's engineering know-how to create a compact truck that is unequalled for its all-around ability and style.”
This blend of strength and style – Ford describes it as Tough Style – defines new Ranger and brings to the compact truck segment a very high degree of attention to design and detail beyond the competition's offerings.
“Its contemporary design gives new Ranger instant credibility as an urban vehicle and its versatility makes Ranger a logical lifestyle choice,” says Scott Strong, Design Director, Ford Motor Company, Asia Pacific and Africa.
“You’d be proud to be seen driving the new Ranger anywhere, and its strong on-road presence is built upon expert craftsmanship and detailed design.”
Clearly inspired by the high-impact Ranger MAX show truck – which Ford revealed at the Thailand International Motor Expo in November – the new Ford Ranger puts into production several distinctive design elements that create a new look for the compact pickup segment.
“The very positive reaction to Ranger MAX validated our Tough Style design direction for the new Ranger,” says Paul Gibson, Chief Designer, Ford Motor Company, Asia Pacific and Africa.
“Ranger MAX is visually distinctive and muscular, and those same design elements such as the wide grille and open mouth air intake [feeding the intercooler and radiator] are used effectively on new Ford Ranger.
“We’re convinced that the new Ranger's design will hit home with buyers who appreciate a truck that looks tough and is tough. And they can be sure that the new Ranger is as capable as ever.”
Bold New Ranger Face
In design terms, the new front styling takes Ranger from the shadows and puts it under the spot light. Tough Style moves Ranger design forward to a muscular and distinctive look.
“Its design as well as its all-around abilities set the Ranger apart from its competitors,” says Gibson.
The horizontal three-bar grille embossed with RANGER lettering, the functional twin black vertical nostrils, the extended opening below the bumperline and large headlamps that wraparound each front corner effectively establish a new design benchmark for the compact truck segment. It is a remarkable transformation that highlights perfectly the strong character of Ranger.
“We know that today’s truck buyer is likely to own a flat-screen TV or an espresso coffee machine,” Gibson says. “We’ve executed the design of the new Ford Ranger with the same attention to detail as you'll find on high-end products.”
The three-bar grille is one of Ford’s global design traits and is a prominent feature on the flagship F-150 full-size pickup in the United States. Its boldness is contrasted by clever details, including recessed grille meshwork and two elongated ‘nostril’ duct shapes.
“The new Ranger exudes Tough Style,” says Gibson. “We recognise Ranger's reputation for toughness and durability, and we built on those qualities with modern design features to accentuate its sportiness and confidence.”
Ford Ranger’s new front design is executed with clever, sculpted surfaces and appealing shapes united with precise execution. These details are critical to achieving the modern, muscular look that today’s truck owner wants.
“The headlamps are the eyes of new Ranger, and the distinct new wraparound headlamp design is a signature feature,” Gibson says. “We approached the Ranger design with the same high standards as we do with our passenger cars, and the headlamps are the soul of new Ranger. They give new Ranger a serious, determined look.”
Power is a Ranger strength. With the choice of two Duratorq TDCi engines – producing 330Nm and 380Nm – Ranger has the power to get the job done.
Visually, the new front design reflects the robust character of Ranger. Functionally, the new front design directs air where it is needed to aid in efficient air-conditioning performance and engine cooling in hot weather.
The large opening in the lower fascia provides a fresh supply of cool air to the TDCi turbocharged engine's intercooler. By mounting the intercooler forward of the radiator and directly in the flow of cool air, the boosted intake charge from the variable-geometry turbocharger remains consistent and allows the engine to perform more efficiently.
“Several of our competitors position the intercooler above the engine and use a dramatic scoop on the hood to direct air to it. We found intercooler performance to be far better when located where we've positioned it – low and in the direct flow of air,” explains Hiroaki Hashimoto, Ranger Program Director, Ford Motor Company, Asia Pacific and Africa.
New Ranger’s lower fascia includes integrated eyebrow shapes for foglamps and subtle features influenced by aerodynamic testing. The design of the side mirrors is where aero testing paid gains.
Despite the fact that the mirrors are very large to improve visibility, the side mirrors' shape is sleek and allows the wind to flow past without creating turbulence and wind noise.
As a detail design change on the new Ranger Wildtrak, the turn indicator is incorporated into the mirror housing as a row of LEDs.
New Ranger's sleek Tough Style is supported by solid engineering. The tapered front is more aerodynamic and sweeps rearward at its edges to incorporate Ranger’s bold front wheel arches. This key design detail communicates Ranger’s solid, confident stance and composed handling character, whether in 4x2 or 4x4 configurations.
The new Ford Ranger will be launched first in Thailand from mid February and introduced into other key markets in the region, including Australia, during the first and second quarter.
Built in Thailand, the new Ranger will be exported to approximately 130 markets around the world.
Wheel Appeal
A freshly designed range of alloy wheels complements Ford Ranger's new exterior design. Ranger XLT models arrive with a new six-spoke 16x7-inch wheel that is evolutionary in design with improvements making it stronger, lighter and more resistant to trapping dirt and mud.
Ranger’s ‘planted’ stance highlights another major element from the successful Ranger MAX show truck – a brilliant set of wheels. The deep offset 18x7.5-inch alloy wheels shown on Ranger MAX will be available on new Ranger Wildtrak in Australia and Europe.
Diamond-cut and polished with black accents, the six-spoke wheel design complements new Ranger’s Tough Style like a fashionable oversized watch. The 18x7.5-inch wheels are paired with chunky 255/60 tyres ensuring confident handling characteristics and a smooth, comfortable ride.
“They look fantastic, and beyond the obvious visual impact of big 18-inch wheels on a compact truck, there's the assurance of knowing they have been engineered for Ranger,” says Hashimoto.
Ranger XL 4x2 models are equipped with a steel 15x6.5-inch wheel mounted on a 215/70 tyre, while the Ranger XL 4x2 Hi-Rider and XL 4x4 models features a styled steel 15-inch wheel with a 235/75 tyre.
Powerful Profile
The compact truck which pioneered the innovative Super Cab, Ranger offers customers a comprehensive selection of body style choices and series levels.
Ranger is available in three series levels: XL, XLT and Wildtrak. Each offers interior features suited to different truck buyers. Full of personality, the high-specification signature series is the Ranger Wildtrak, which is available as Crew Cab Pick-up 4x4.
Wildtrak features unique OEM-quality body treatments, including body-colour tailgate cladding with embossed Ranger branding, box rails and roof rails with aluminium bar accents, a frame mounted aluminium grey side step with titanium-coloured end caps, a special sportsbar mounted on the pickup bed behind the cab and colourful Wildtrak decals on the front doors and tailgate.
There is also an innovative roller shutter, which will be available on Wildtrak as a no cost option – it is a stylish new solution for providing protection and security for the pick-up load area, while retaining the flexibility to handle bulky loads when the situation arises.
These details combine to create a bold, sporty and confident image of Tough Style.
Ranger is available in three body styles – Single Cab, Super Cab and Crew Cab. Each of these body styles is available as a compact pickup or in a chassis cab configuration, making Ranger ideally suited to the wide-ranging requirements of the compact truck market.
The Super Cab is a unique four-door system providing freer access to the cabin by featuring two forward-hinged doors and two rear-hinged access panels. Introduced by Ranger in 2002, Super Cab provides unobstructed access to the spacious interior for ease of entry and cargo loading and an uncompromised side-impact safety structure that replaces the centre pillar of a traditional Crew Cab.
The versatility of the Super Cab door design for urban drivers is immediately valued in everyday use where groceries, exercise gear, a bicycle or a big flat-screen TV can be secured in the cabin behind locked doors.
For the workman, the Super Cab design opens up valued space for tools and equipment.
Details by Design
Drawing attention to the trailing edge of each front fender is a black vent plate that incorporates the side indicator on XL and XLT models, and a chrome RANGER badge on the high-series Wildtrak. This new element exemplifies contemporary design that distinguishes new Ranger from its competition.
Directly above these unique vents and equally detailed in their design are new enlarged side mirrors offering excellent visibility and the ability to pivot for tight clearance areas. The mirror housings feature an argent finish on Ranger XL models, and a chrome finish on Ranger XLT and Wildtrak.
The side mirrors also feature a high-intensity LED integral turn indicator on Ranger Wildtrak.
Following a consistent design direction, Ranger’s door handles and tailgate handle are also finished in black on XL and chrome on XLT and Wildtrak.
Overfender arches on 4x2 Hi-Rider and 4x4 models are moulded in black for XL models and finished in body colour for XLT and Wildtrak. The rear bumper is finished in body colour with black step-plate on XL, while a chrome rear step bumper is featured on XLT and Wildtrak.
New Ford Ranger is offered in a choice of eight exterior paint colours, including a new colour, Desert Bronze.
Clear tail lamps – another contemporary design cue – visually unite the smooth tailgate with the sculpted box side with appealing coherence. The clear tail lamps provide an interesting visual contrast to Ranger's exterior colour range.
“The sleek new shape and precision-sculpted details combine to define Ford Ranger's fresh new style,” Gibson says.
“Tough Style reinforces Ranger’s well-known strengths and versatility and also introduces contemporary evolution that we believe will appeal to today’s incredibly diverse truck buyers.”
The Ford Ranger is available in 4x2 and 4x4 drivetrains. The popular Ranger 4x2 Hi-Rider offers a unique combination, being 2wd and using the robust components and the higher ground clearance of a 4x4. Hi-Rider's ground clearance improves by 26mm (above Ranger 4x2) to a total of 207mm on 15-inch wheels.
The Hi-Rider was an innovative first for Ford when developed and launched several years ago. It continues to gain in popularity as customers appreciate the taller ride height combined with the Hi-Rider's ability to traverse poorly maintained roads.
Style, Space, Craftsmanship and Comfort
Even with its proven truck toughness and capability, new Ranger's interior offers carlike comfort and low NVH, thanks to ergonomically crafted seats, climate control and MP3-compatible audio and a body shell engineered to isolate the cabin from road noise.
All Ranger models offer AM/FM radio and an MP3-compatible CD player as standard. The audio unit features a digital display that incorporates a clock function. The lower centre console features an integral 12-volt power outlet and AUX input connection for popular MP3 players, such as the Apple iPod.
Ranger offers a high-performance climate control system featuring intuitively designed backlit rotary control switches in the instrument panel centre stack and large, strategically positioned louvered air vents. Two additional air outlets near each front door rotate 360 degrees to allow occupants to direct cabin airflow where most comfortable.
Ranger also offers an array of clever stowage solutions, including a centre stack sunglass storage binnacle, a front-door stowage bin that holds a half-litre water bottle and a handy pull-out tray above the glove compartment.
The sliding tray, extending the width of the passenger side of the dashboard, supports a weight of 10 kilograms and can be used as a work surface. Ranger’s large centre console is divided into two levels. The top bin can accommodate a mobile phone or sunglasses, while the lower bin accommodates larger objects, including up to 10 CD cases.
Ranger’s instrument panel features the contemporary and relaxing appeal of red illumination of its three large, individual gauges – each set within its own binnacle – ensuring excellent visibility day and night and also giving Ranger’s interior a dynamic feel.
Ranger features power window and mirror controls within easy reach of the driver on the door panel. The driver’s window has a one-touch down feature and the switch is backlit for visibility at night.
Ranger Power and Capability
The new Ford Ranger offers a choice of engines, transmissions and drivetrain configurations, reflecting its reputation for capability and truck toughness.
Two versions of Ford’s acclaimed Duratorq TDCi diesel engine lead the powertrain lineup. Both TDCi engines deliver quick response, produce strong torque at low revs, offer highly refined characteristics and are fuel efficient with low running costs.
The common-rail diesel engines are available in 2.5-litre and 3.0-litre displacement versions, both engines employ advanced turbo technology – intercooler and variable-geometry turbocharging – to reduce turbo lag and improve overall performance. Both TDCi engines also develop class-leading torque outputs.
The common-rail fuel system combines high fuel pressure of up to 1600 bar and multiple phase injection timing to deliver efficient power and refined operating characteristics.
Class-leading Torque
Ford powertrain engineers have developed the advanced TDCi engine to deliver exceptional overall qualities to give Ranger a driving advantage against its competitors. Ranger's 3.0-litre TDCi engine produces as much as 37Nm (10 percent) more peak torque than the Toyota HiLux 3.0-litre diesel engine.
Plenty of available torque from Ford's TDCi Duratorq diesels makes them highly responsive to the driver's needs and gives Ranger plenty of Ford truck grunt. The 105kW 2.5-litre engine is rated at 330Nm, while the 115kW 3.0-litre version delivers 380Nm peak torque at 1800rpm.
Ranger delivers torque when and where it's needed. At 3000rpm, the Ranger's 3.0-litre TDCi diesel proves its flexibility in delivering more than 350Nm. In fact, that's more torque than most of its competitors' diesel engines produce at peak.
The TDCi diesels are powerful, refined and available in 4x2 and 4x4 drivetrain configurations with a choice of Ford’s five-speed automatic transmission or five-speed manual.
Ranger 4x4 Goes To Extremes
With the advantage of 34 degrees and 33 degrees approach and departure angles, respectively, the Ford Ranger 4x4 provides superior ground clearance and river fording capability.
The Ranger 4x4 utilises a proven Borg Warner transfer case and the ease of electronic shift-on-the-fly when accompanying the five-speed automatic transmission.
Those who are serious about off-road driving for either work or recreation will recognise the advantages of Ranger's low-range gearing reduction of 2.48:1 (automatic transmission) and 2.02:1 (manual transmission).
This exceptionally low gearing combines with Ranger's high-torque TDCi engines to make it the most capable 4x4 compact pickup to travel beyond where the pavement ends.
The underside of Ranger 4x4 is well armoured. Fuel tank, transfer case, engine and transmission are protected by strong steel plating.
Ranger Tough
Ranger isn’t just about Tough Style. It’s about proven truck toughness. Ranger’s toughness starts with a purpose-built truck backbone. Its unique overlapped, cross-braced ladder frame delivers clear strength superiority.
The frame is engineered for greater rigidity than H-beam or open-beam configurations. The frame structure is the foundation of Ranger’s load-carrying capacity, towing capability, durability, handling performance and ride quality.
Ranger features a truck-tough, long-leaf rear suspension with oversized 32mm gas shock absorbers for consistent ride stability and load capacity. This gives Ranger its renowned big-load capability and smooth ride.
The front suspension, optimised for laden and unladen roadholding and handling, is a truck-engineered double-wishbone design with torsion bar springs.
Ranger is the only compact truck in its class to prioritise driving dynamics as a core product quality. Ford's chassis engineers have tuned the suspension's elements to reduce body roll and to give Ranger a poised, confident handling character reinforced by precise accurate steering.
Engineers have matched perfectly the clutch pedal effort and action to coordinate with the manual transmission's gear selector throw and shift efforts. These detail touches are commonly experienced in sports cars ... and Ranger pickup.
Excellent pedal layout that allows for heel-toe shifting benefits the urban driver with an enthusiastic, precise shift quality, while the 4x4 driver will also appreciate the value of Ranger's perfect heel-toe pedal layout in extreme conditions.
Ranger 4x2 Hi-Rider and Ranger 4x4 models employ a two-way mechanical, multiplate, torque-sensing limited slip differential in the rear axle. It helps to optimise torque balance between the left and right rear wheels in low-traction situations, as well as in higher speed cornering.
Stopping power is another Ranger strength. Ranger offers as standard on XLT and Wildtrak (optional on XL) a four-sensor, three-channel, four-wheel antilock braking system designed to prevent wheel lockup during hard braking.
Ranger also features Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD) on ABS-equipped models, a system which distributes braking force to the front and rear wheels in accordance with the vehicle’s speed and the load applied to the rear wheels.
By increasing the rear-wheel braking force when the rear wheels are heavily loaded, this system enables safer, more effective braking with shorter braking and stopping distances.
It has been calibrated especially for Ranger's load carrying and towing capabilities, giving the Ranger driver an added feeling of confidence.
Ranger features thick, ventilated front brake disc rotors, with generously sized pads for optimal heat handling capacity and pedal feel. Four-wheel-drive versions have the assurance of dual opposing-piston callipers, another touch of Ranger Tough Style.
The Load Ranger
The heart of Ranger’s truck capability is its extra-deep-sidewall pickup box. This design maximises load capacity and cargo flexibility.
The Ranger pickup box features:
* Well-placed cargo tiedowns. Easy to access, these tiedown hooks have been designed with Ford’s extensive truck engineering experience.
* Slotted inner fenders that allow the easy insertion of available shelving systems for cargo management and loading.
Ranger is available in three pickup box dimensions depending on cab configuration:
* Single Cab – 2280mm x 1456mm
* Super Cab – 1753mm x 1456mm
* Crew Cab – 1530mm x 1456mm
Ranger also offers class-leading towing capability. Ranger 4x2 models equipped with the 2.5-litre TDCi are rated at up to 2250kg, while the Ranger 4x4 3.0-litre TDCi models can tow up to 3000kg, making Ranger not just tough but up for adventure, too.
(Ranger's cargo and towing capacities are dependent on model and market.)
The World of Ranger
Designed by a Ford design team based in Melbourne, Australia, the new Ford Ranger is built in Rayong, Thailand, for Ford’s Asia Pacific and Africa region and global export. It is marketed in approximately 130 nations.
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