Secret new Ford Ranger models in the pipeline

Five new future Ford Ranger models are under development, and while you might see them out on the road there’s no guarantee they will make it into Australian showrooms.

The existence of the five new models was revealed during the 2022 Ford Ranger product briefing at last week’s first media drive by the program’s vehicle engineering manager Anthony Hall.

He did so during a presentation on the new Aussie-developed Ford Ranger, where he outlined how the vehicle had been tested over millions of kilometres.

“We have done the equivalent of 1.2 million kilometres of customer driving, just the regular stuff,” said Hall.

“And then a whole bunch – over 600,000km – of rugged off-road driving.

“Last week myself and 11 others took five future variants on a long-distance drive. We did 2000km up through New South Wales and back again over the last five days and snuck back in without anyone seeing that we were out there.

“But that’s another 10,000km to add to the bank.”

The revelation drew a quick interjection from Ford Australia chief Andrew Birkic who was sitting in: “Don’t talk about future.”

Birkic is nothing if not consistent in his attitude toward discussing Ford future product, as we have previously found.

Followed up on for more detail on the five variants, Hall told carsales they were destined for overseas markets.

“We’ve staggered [the launch of the Ranger in] some of the markets around the globe,” he explained. “Some of them get different content just because of different market requirements, different legislation.

“We are now just working through the later body styles in the original plan to just go through and sign off different content.

“The drive was a lot of common stuff but a lot of unique stuff for a unique market and the next plants around the globe to launch.”

So what might have been involved in Ford’s most recent testing? With Ranger headed to more than 180 markets, the options are potentially mind boggling.

They could range from minor emissions calibrations to new powertrain and chassis combinations.

In Australia, the mainstream Ranger comes with three turbo-diesel engine choices across its line-up – one 3.0-litre V6 and two 2.0-litre four-cylinders – while the new Ford Ranger Raptor will add a twin-turbo V6 petrol engine.

Overseas a four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine is confirmed, while the Ranger is package-protected for electrification including mild-hybrid, plug-in hybrid and EV.

The Raptor will also be sold with the carry-over biturbo four-cylinder diesel engine in some export markets. It comes with a coil spring rear-end while mainstream Rangers have leaf springs.

The ‘T6’ family also includes the Ford Everest SUV, Ford Bronco off-roader and the next-gen Volkswagen Amarok ute.

The testing might have involved a Raptor-lite diesel that we’ve reported previously on and could have a new name or be the new-generation Ranger FX4.

The patented Tremor and Wolftrak names may have relevance here too.

Hall said there were many opportunities to mix and match Ranger components to produce new models, but stressed not all of them stacked up.

“You just can’t do it all,” he said. “Every combination in the jigsaw puzzle has to have a business case behind it.

“You have to have resource to engineer it, sign it off. I think it is exciting there is so stuff much we could do. But there is a limit.”

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