Heavy load-ready Ford Ranger Super Duty priced, but…

While only set to go on-sale next year, Ford has revealed the previously unknown powertrain details of the first-ever Ranger Super Duty, as well as the newcomer’s price tag in Australia.

Shown in April as not only the most work-focused Ranger ever made, but the first non-F-Series to wear the Super Duty name, the newcomer slots-in between the “regular” Ranger and F-150 in the Blue Oval’s bakkie line-up, albeit only Down Under for now.

The differences

Described as a “purpose-built truck designed for heavy-duty use”, the Super Duty will initially be offered as a chassis cab in single, Super and double cab bodystyles and, as its description states, without the fitting of a factory loadbox.

A traditional Australian-style steel tray can, however, be had, but only as an optional extra.

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As depicted by the April launch model though, a factory loadbin-equipped Super Duty will be offered, but only later in the year and solely for the double cab with the XLT trim designation being applied.

Compared to the standard Ranger, the Super Duty’s exterior changes consist of a steel front bumper, a new grille, wider wheel arches, a new bonnet complete with Super Duty lettering, wider mirrors, a standard snorkel and a steel underbody protection bashplate.

Underneath, the Super Duty sports a strengthened chassis, revised suspension, a long range 130-litre fuel tank and unique 18-inch wheels wrapped in 33-inch General Grabber all-terrain tyres.

Hardcore fundamentals

Known by now to have a tow rating of 4 500 kg, a gross vehicle mass (GVM) of 4 500 kg and gross combined mass (GCM) of over 8 000 kg, new information confirms a wading depth of 850 mm versus the normal Ranger’s 800 mm, as well as the following payload ratings:

• single cab chassis cab: 1 982 kg;
• SuperCab chassis cab: 1 896 kg
• double cab chassis cab: 1 825 kg

Differing further is the ground clearance ratings at 299 mm for the single, 297 mm for the SuperCab and 295 mm for the double cab.

Detuned V6

Besides the only interior change being an on-board scale display integrated into the 12-inch SYNC 4A infotainment system, as well as the Super Duty script on the passenger’s side of the dashboard, up front, Ford has made the 3.0-litre Lion turbodiesel V6 available as the sole engine option, but in detuned form.

Reported in April as the only option considered for the Super Duty, the unit now produces the same 154 kW as the bi-turbo 2.0-litre Panther engine instead of its regular 184 kW, but retains the same 600 Nm torque figure.

As per usual, the only transmission option is the 10-speed automatic co-developed with General Motors.

Price hint

On the colour front, five hues have been made available: Arctic White, Command Grey, Shadow Black, Aluminium Silver and the Super Duty-exclusive Seismic Tan. A sixth, Traction Green, will added at a later stage.

With the mentioned double cab-only XLT to arrive later, the three-model Super Duty range, as with the standard Aussie-market Ranger, will be produced in Thailand rather than at the Silverton Plant outside Pretoria, where the South African-spec Ranger is made.

As such, no plans are currently in place to bring the Ranger Super Duty to market soon.

• Ranger Super Duty chassis single cab – $82 990 (R971 454)
• Ranger Super Duty chassis SuperCab – $86 490 (R1 012 424)
• Ranger Super Duty chassis double cab – $89 990 (R1 053 394)

_{Note: All prices are directly converted into rand without the various taxes included.}

Additional information from drive.com.au.

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