SPY PICS: Next Ford Ranger spotted in Melbourne

Updated: 5:20pm

These pics courtesy of an eagle-eyed reader suggest Ford could be set to update its strong-selling Ranger.

The disguised utes are likely our first look at Ford’s next-generation Ranger, the model reported by motoring.com.au last year as the first of a stand-alone development range whose design will be headquartered right here in Australia, and will likely also include the next-generation Everest SUV.

As Ford works to realign its global automotive partnership, and with Mazda previously stating its next BT-50 will be aligned with the Isuzu D-MAX, the T6-platform Ranger’s on-going development looks set to continue unabated at Ford’s Victorian-based research and development facility west of Melbourne.

“It’s [T6] a great investment story in terms of what we are doing and the people, so it’s not going away,” Ford Australia president and CEO, Graeme Whickman, told motoring.com.au previously.

“We don’t talk about future programs in general but the program is important to us and it’s important enough that we will be doing it by ourselves. I can’t really say much more.

“The vehicle is doing very well and it’s engineered right here in this country, and I don’t see why that would change,” he concluded.

Evident in today’s pics are a new dual-bar grille, side-slung exhaust, and revised tail-light lenses, the model’s body otherwise a facsimile of the PXII-series Ranger on sale since June 2016.

The bubble-style camouflage masks any suggestion of updated body work, the Ranger’s headlights, roof-mounted antenna, and rear-window-topping stop-light suggesting a base or mid-spec variant (the high-level brake-light is mounted in the roll-bar of high-spec grades).

There’s no word yet on any update to Ford’s 2.2-litre four-cylinder or 3.2-litre five-cylinder turbo-diesel engine range, though the side-slung exhaust extension – reminiscent of Ford’s F Series light trucks – indicates the model could be up for an increase in performance; possibly even as the rumoured twin-turbo V6 Ranger Raptor.

motoring.com.au approached Ford Australia for comment with product communications manager, Damion Smy saying:

"While we don't talk about future product, it's widely known that we are part of the global development team that's working on a variety of programs, and that includes T6 models.

"This is helped by the recent announcement of our $450m investment when we opended the Asia-Pacific Product Development Centre at Broadmeadows last month," he concluded.