Ford Ranger Double Cab first drive

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Monday, 06 February 2012 09:12

Introducing the Ford line up of the all new Ranger lifestyle and workhorse pick-ups,

Mark Ovenden, the recently appointed new managing director for Ford of Britain said at his first official press launch, the company continued during a difficult 2011 to lead the automotive industry in the sales of cars and commercial vehicles.

He said their Ford Fiesta was the UK’s top selling car and in second place was the Ford Focus. In the commercial vehicle sector the top selling model was the compact front wheel drive Transit van range and in second place the rear wheel drive Transit large vans, trucks and chassis cab variants. Commercial vehicles account for more than 20 per cent of Ford’s total UK vehicle sales.

Ovenden added their outgoing Ranger line-up for 2011 had only managed to achieve fifth position in the pick-up sales league due in part to supply problems. This was chiefly the shortage of panels from their Thailand factory which was hit by the floods. The aim is for the all new Ranger to double its current 10 per cent share of UK pick-up sales in 2012.

Pick up registrations in the UK for 2011, fuelled mainly by the demand for double cab models, were 26,169 units, an increase of 34 per cent over 2010.

Only just appearing in UK dealerships there is already good news for Ford and Ranger customers. The Ranger Double Cab has just been awarded a Euro NCAP five star safety rating, the first ever pick-up to achieve this top level. New safety features included in the new Ranger are electronic stability programme, trailer sway control, hill descent control, new side-curtain, thorax and frontal impact airbags.

Ford estimates that 65 per cent of the new Ranger sales in the UK will be for the Double Cab versions with the Regular Cab (Single Cab) and the Super-Cab (two door/four seat design) each taking 15 per cent of sales with Chassis Cabs supplied to bespoke body manufacturers talking up the remaining volume.

Currently the Ford Ranger gets only five per cent of its sales from the leisure sector but the all new Ranger, with the chunky sporting looks, plush interior, improved ride comfort and high torque low emissions engines, Ford says they will achieve a much higher share of sales to leisure and retail customers. Ahead of the outgoing Ranger in the UK’s pick-up sales league is the new Toyota HiLux, Mitsubishi L200, Nissan Navara and Isuzu Rodeo ranges. The new and highly rated Volkswagen Amarok will pose a big sales threat to them all.

On the road prices, excluding Vat, range from £15,515 for the 2.2-litre turbodiesel Single Cab 2WD up to £25,040 for the 3.2-litre turbodiesel automatic Wildtrak Double Cab 4x4. Specification and equipment levels, depending on body style, are XL, XLT, the likely best selling Limited and the lifestyle Wildtrak. Retail prices including Vat range from £17,705 to £29,135.

The new Ranger comes with four body options, Regular Cab, Super Cab, Double Cab and Chassis Cab. Most variants have four wheel drive as standard but there is a two wheel drive option for Regular and Super Cab versions. Depending on the body style there are up to three engine options, all new units. These are Ford Duratorq TDCi turbodiesel engines with 2.2 and 3.2-litre capacities. Currently available is the 2.2-litre, four cylinder 150PS and the five cylinder 3.2-litre 200PS units. A 2.2-litre unit with 125PS will become available with the arrival of the Regular Cab variants in the near future. The all new global Ranger, designed in Australia and built in South Africa for Europe, was due to be launched in the UK last December. The delay was caused by the late delivery of body panels from the flood hit body plant in Thailand to the manufacturing lines in South Africa.

Summing up at the press launch, Steve Clary commercial vehicle director for Ford of Britain said, “Ranger has always been tough and capable but conceded market share to Nissan, Mitsubishi and Toyota. It did not have the right end user appeal – it left a bit to be desired. The all new Ranger will change all that.”

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In the many sectors of the UK’s new car and commercial vehicle sectors Ford competes in, there isn’t many areas where the brand is not top or close to being top. For instance last year, like every year, they produced the best selling two cars, Fiesta and Focus. In the commercial sector the compact front wheel drive Transit vans were top, rear wheel drive Transit large vans and trucks were second. For good measure Ford was the top selling brand for overall car and CV sales in the UK.

But in one segment success continued to elude them. This is the pick-up sector consisting of two and four wheel models, single, double and cab-and-a-half versions, plus some chassis cabs. Three-quarters of UK buyers opt for double cab pick-ups for leisure and work use.

Last year sales of pick-ups rose by 34 per cent as UK customers returned to this sector. Sales had slipped following the tax raid imposed on company car drivers with benefit-in-kind taxes going from commercial vehicle rates to near passenger car costs.

The outgoing Ford Ranger was serviceable enough, strong and durable but it didn’t have the brand appeal or styling to attract the modern-day buying audience where it has to look good as well as being good. The Mitsubishi L200, Toyota HiLux, Nissan Navara and Isuzu Rodeo all sell more in the UK than the outgoing Ranger. The highly praised new VW Amarok could overtake them all, the new Ranger included.

Under the new ‘One Ford’ global design policy adopted already for their most recent passenger cars, the all new Ranger is the first commercial vehicle to come from the ‘One Ford’ programme. It was designed in Australia for global consumption and is built in Thailand, South Africa and South America. European production comes from South Africa although some major components are supplied from the Thailand plant.

Ford expects the new Ranger to double its pick-up market share to 20 per cent, around 7,000 units, and 65 to 70 per cent of customers are expected to choose the Double Cab version. Only five per cent of existing Ranger Double Cab owners are leisure users and Ford has to conquer this leisure sector where retail and business user-chooser customers dominate demand.

The Ranger line-up is conventional with Regular, Super and Double Cab body styles plus a Chassis Cab option for bespoke body suppliers. At launch, which is more or less now, there is the choice of two high torque turbodiesel engines all with six speed manual gearboxes. The engine availability depends on the body option and specification level. There is a 2.2-litre four cylinder 150PS unit and a 3.2-litre five cylinder 200PS version. Both are available with an automatic transmission option for Double Cab models. A 2.2-litre 125PS diesel unit is due shortly for two and four wheel drive versions of the Regular (Single) Cab.

Depending on the body style there are XL, XLT, Limited and Wildtrak levels of specification and equipment with Limited likely to be the most popular. Prices including Vat range from £17,705 to £29,135. The most popular version will be the 2.2-litre, 150PS manual Limited Double Cab priced at £25,535. Commercial vehicle VED road tax will be £210 and the Benefit-in-Kind taxable rate is 20/40 per cent of £3,000.

The all new Ranger retains a ladder frame chassis with rear leaf springs plus dampers for strength and durability and it has numerous other better-than functions over the competition. In most cases when the specifications are compared it offers better value for money claim Ford, a trait carried over from their modern passenger cars. And if size matters the Regular Cab has the longest and largest load area and the highest payload at 1,340kg. The Double Cab has the largest payload of any double cab at 1,152kg and all 4x4 models have a towing capability of 3,350kg which is 350 to 850kg more than the competition.

These specs will impress but so will the new chunky, muscular, all action looks. The old model was ‘sit-up-and-beg’ in style, the new one is all thrusting and macho with lots of bright body colour options normally associated with Ford’s latest car ranges. Inside the Limited version of the Double Cab it’s just as impressive. The fascia design and coverings for it and the doors and the upholstery is very much in keeping with that used for SUVs and top quality 4x4s. The same goes for the level of specification with electrically operated windows and door mirrors and with air conditioning. Safety too is the highest level with the new Ranger Double Cab being awarded a five star Euro NCAP rating, the first pick up ever to do so.

Just as impressive as the looks is the vastly improved handling, ride comfort and positive steering even with the larger 18-inch alloy wheels fitted to the Wildtrak lifestyle versions. It performs really well and for me shows the greatest improvement, at least as good as the new generation Toyota HiLux and the even more impressive Volkswagen Amarok. The 3.2-litre, 200PS (198bhp) TDCi five cylinder turbodiesel engine is huge on torque at 470Nm (347lb ft) from 1,500rpm, really responsive with loads of grunt and easy on the fuel. Officially this engine with the six speed manual gearbox will return 28.3mpg and on test returned 27.2mpg. CO2 emissions are relatively low for a vehicle of this type at 249g/km with the commercial vehicle rate road tax costing £210 a year.

The most popular engine will be the 2.2-litre four cylinder TDCi turbodiesel unit with 150PS (148bhp) of power and again with high torque of 375Nm (276lb ft) from 1,500rpm. Fuel consumption is officially 32.8mpg and 30.1mpg was recorded on test. CO2 emissions are 224g/km and the commercial vehicle annual road tax charge is also £210. Again with this version with 17-inch alloy wheels the ride comfort and the ability of the suspension to offer a very compliant ride, coupled with sharp steering and handling, are impressive features.

Off road the performance has also improved. There is the usual two and four wheel drive high ratio selection and four wheel drive low ratio easily selected by a turn button control. With its anti-stall function the vehicle can climb steep tracks just using its tickover engine speed ensuring safe grip and the hill descent control can be varied for speed just by using the cruise control function.

The new-age Ford Ranger, in particular the Double Cab models, have all the ingredients to succeed in the lifestyle, leisure and workhorse markets and with pick-ups in general re-establishing their appeal overall, the Ranger should be climbing close to the top of the UK sales chart.

MILESTONES. Ford Ranger Double Cab 2.2 TDCi Limited 4x4. (Best selling model). Retail price including Vat: £25,535. Engine/transmission: 2.2-litre, four cylinder, TDCi turbodiesel 148bhp, 276lb ft of torque from 1,500rpm, 6-speed manual gearbox with high and low ratio drive. Performance: 106mph, 0-62mph 12.3 seconds, 32.8mpg combined Cycle (30.1mpg on test), CO2 224g/km, VED commercial vehicle road tax £210. BIK company car tax rate 20/40% of £3,000 per annum. Dimensions/capacities L 5,359mm, W 1,850mm, H 1,815mm, payload 1,152kg, maximum braked towing weight 3,350kg. For: Improved in all areas for styling, interior design and specification, ride comfort, compliant ride, sharp handing, five star NCAP safety rating. Against: Ford just has to convince buyers that the new Ranger is a very different proposition from previous versions and is now a desirable lifestyle and leisure cum workhorse product in a competitive sector. Miles Better News Agency

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