Ford reveals its all-new Ranger 26 | 10 | 2011
LOVERS OF PICKUPS, those street-cred alternatives to the humble saloon or hatchback, will be pleased to learn Ford’s new Ranger will start at £15,515 (excl VAT) when it goes on sale in Scotland next month.
Offered in three cab bodystyles – Double, Super and Regular – the new Ranger (see more official photos) also comes with a list of practical features that are available across XL, XLT, Limited and Wildtrak models. The pickup will also come in 4x2 and 4x4 drivetrains.
There's a choice of two diesel engines, a 3.2-litre five cylinder and a 2.2-litre four-cylinder. The 3.2-litre diesel returns 28.3mpg and the 2.2 can return 32.8mpg on the 4x2 model.
Not exactly the most economical vehicle on the planet, but remember, the Ranger is essentially a workhorse.
It'll tow up to 3350kg on selected models with diesel engines, while the 4x4 can wade through 800 millimetres of water even when fully laden. It has a payload capacity of more than 1340kg on some 4x4 variants, as well as ground clearance of up to 232mm.
Read our roadtest of the VW Amarok pickup
But it's not all muck and grit. Customers can equip their Ranger with Bluetooth connectivity, USB and iPod connectivity, dual zone climate control, cruise control and a five-inch colour screen with satellite navigation.
For the first time, selected Ranger diesel models will be available with either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission.
There's also a host of safety equipment, including ESP, hill descent control, hill launch assist, trailer sway control, adaptive load control, emergency brake assist, emergency brake light and roll-over mitigation.
Passive safety technologies are also available on the rugged Ranger with array of airbags dependent on the model. Side curtain airbags are available on all cab styles for the first time.
Also available are newly designed side thorax airbags which deploy from the driver and front passenger seats. New frontal impact airbags are available for the driver and passenger, along with seatbelt pretensioners and load limiters.
Read our roadtest of the new Ford Focus
Keep up-to-date with all the latest news by following us on twitter.com/scotcars
Jim McGill