COLOGNE, Germany, Sept. 10, 2015 – Ford’s tough and smart new Ford Ranger pickup makes its European debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show, revealing a bold new design, cutting-edge technologies and improved fuel efficiency ahead of the model’s sales introduction in late 2015.
The flagship Wildtrak model on display in Frankfurt takes the Ranger to the next level with an exclusive exterior design treatment, unique interior trim, and a striking new signature colour – Pride Orange.
“With the stunning new Wildtrak at the pinnacle of the line-up, the new Ford Ranger provides customers with an unbeatable combination of four-wheel drive capability, stand-out styling and premium features like SYNC 2 connectivity,” said Roelant de Waard, vice president, Marketing, Sales & Service, Ford of Europe. “Ranger is ready for any challenge – offering optimised fuel efficiency, towing and payload capacity, and class-leading wading capability.”
The current Ford Ranger has generated rapid sales growth in Europe since first being introduced in late 2011. Total sales of 21,600 vehicles in 2014 in Ford’s 20 traditional European markets** were more than double those achieved in 2012, while 16,700 Rangers were sold in the first eight months of 2015 – a further 36 per cent increase year-over-year. Ranger won the prestigious “International Pickup Award 2013” title, and the new model will be challenging for the 2016 award at the competition next month.
Wildtrak – the ultimate Ranger
The Ranger Wildtrak marks its status as the ultimate Ranger through a unique dark, liquid metallic grey finish for the new trapezoidal grille with its distinctive outboard nostrils. The same accent colour continues to the side mirrors, door handles, side air vents, load-bed rails and tail lamps, for a bold and sporty appearance.
Other exclusive design elements on the new Wildtrak include rectangular fog lamps, a unique sports hoop, machined 18-inch alloy wheels and bold Wildtrak graphics, together helping to communicate a fearless sense of adventure. Even the Wildtrak’s signature exterior colour has been tweaked to help it stand out from the crowd, with the new metallic Pride Orange finish.
Inside, orange is used as an accent colour to add a sense of sportiness to the strikingly modern, car-like interior. A strong horizontal beam spanning from driver to passenger door emphasises the cabin’s width and houses an instrument cluster with dual colour digital displays, and an eight-inch touchscreen. A soft-touch instrument panel top with an orange accent stitch imparts a premium feel to the cockpit, while the rings around the air registers feature a distinctive shadow chrome finish.
The new Wildtrak also features unique seats – including an eight-way power adjustable driver’s seat – with bold graphical elements and orange stitching, combining toughness, durability and sportiness.
Enhanced diesel powertrains for outstanding fuel efficiency
New Ranger offers outstanding fuel economy, with a more efficient powertrain range – enhanced by Auto-Start-Stop technology, new final drive ratio options and the introduction of Electric Power Assisted Steering – delivering reductions in fuel consumption of up to 17 per cent.
The improved diesel line-up features 130 PS and 160 PS variants of Ford’s latest 2.2-litre TDCi engine – delivering increased output compared to the 125 PS and 150 PS engines in the outgoing model – and the powerful 200 PS five-cylinder 3.2-litre TDCi unit. Both six-speed manual and automatic transmissions are available, and customers can select four-wheel drive and two-wheel drive variants. Wildtrak models feature four-wheel drive as standard.
All new Ranger variants achieve significantly improved fuel efficiency, with the 160 PS model offering exceptional figures of 6.5 l/100 km (43.5 mpg) and 171 g/km CO2 emissions for reduced running costs – down from 7.8 l/100 km (36.2 mpg) and 206 g/km CO2 in the outgoing model.
The Ford Ranger remains one of the most capable trucks in its class. With a class-leading ability to wade through water up to 800 mm deep, and with 230 mm of ground clearance, it is designed and engineered to handle the most extreme terrains with ease. Thanks to a 28-degree approach angle and 25-degree departure angle, drivers in the new Ranger can feel confident when taking on steep obstacles.
A robust electronically controlled transfer case allows drivers in four-wheel drive models to shift on the fly from two- to four-wheel drive high-range with a knob on the centre console. For low-speed torque or additional downhill braking in challenging terrain, drivers also can engage low-range four-wheel drive gearing. An electronic locking rear differential also helps to improve traction in difficult conditions. These off-road strengths are matched by towing capability of up to 3,500 kg and exceptional payload capacity.
Advanced connectivity and driver assistance technologies
A host of cutting edge technology is available on the new Ranger to help drivers stay connected and in control, including Ford’s voice-activated SYNC 2 connectivity system, which features an 8-inch touchscreen with colour-coded corners for easy menu navigation.
An array of driver assistance technologies deliver greater comfort and convenience, including Lane Keeping Alert and Lane Keeping Aid, Adaptive Cruise Control with Forward Alert, Front and Rear Park Assist, Rear View Camera, and a standard Electronic Stability Control system with rollover mitigation and trailer sway control.
Other smart technologies include:
“For customers looking for a truck that shares their appetite for adventure, the new Ranger Wildtrak is the complete package,” de Waard said. “It’s the toughest, smartest, boldest Wildtrak we’ve ever made.”
* The declared fuel consumption and CO2 emissions are measured according to the technical requirements and specifications of the European Regulations (EC) 715/2007 and (EC) 692/2008 as last amended. Fuel consumption and CO2 emissions are specified for a vehicle variant and not for a single car. The applied standard test procedure enables comparison between different vehicle types and different manufacturers. In addition to the fuel efficiency of a car, driving behaviour as well as other non-technical factors play a role in determining a car's fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. CO2 is the main greenhouse gas responsible for global warming. Results in MPG also correspond to this European drive cycle and are stated in imperial gallons. The results may differ from fuel economy figures in other regions of the world due to the different drive cycles and regulations used in those markets.
** Ford of Europe reports its sales for the 20 European main markets where it is represented through National Sales Companies. The Euro 20 markets are: Austria, Belgium, Britain, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Romania, Sweden and Switzerland.
Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Michigan manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 195,000 employees and 66 plants worldwide, the company’s automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford and its products worldwide, please visit www.corporate.ford.com.
is responsible for producing, selling and servicing Ford brand vehicles in 50 individual markets and employs approximately 53,000 employees at its wholly owned facilities and approximately 67,000 people when joint ventures and unconsolidated businesses are included. In addition to Ford Motor Credit Company, Ford Europe operations include Ford Customer Service Division and 23 manufacturing facilities (15 wholly owned or consolidated joint venture facilities and 8 unconsolidated joint venture facilities). The first Ford cars were shipped to Europe in 1903 – the same year Ford Motor Company was founded. European production started in 1911.
