FRANKFURT - All-New and toughest ever Ford Ranger, gets Frankfurt reveal ahead of European sales.

• New Ford Ranger pickup debuts in Europe with a bold new look, cutting-edge technologies and enhanced diesel engines that deliver outstanding fuel efficiency
• Flagship Wildtrak model offers exclusive exterior design features, unique interior with orange accents, and striking new Pride Orange signature colour
• New Ranger fuel efficiency improved up to 17 per cent supported by Auto-Start-Stop, new final drive ratios and Electric Power Assisted Steering, with CO₂ emissions from 171g/km*
• Advanced features include SYNC 2 connectivity, Lane Keeping Aid and Adaptive Cruise Control, making Ranger one of the smartest pickups on the road
• Ranger sales continue to accelerate in Europe, up 36 per cent year-over-year in the first seven months of 2015; new Ranger in UK dealerships early 2016

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, 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 and 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. 

In the UK, 4,659 Rangers were sold in the first eight months of 2015 – a 36.5 per cent increase for the same period last 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 its unique dark, liquid metallic grey finish for the new trapezoidal grille. 

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. 

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 (EPAS) – delivering reductions in fuel consumption of up to 17 per cent.

The improved diesel line-up features a 160PS variant of Ford’s latest 2.2-litre TDCi engine – delivering increased output compared to the 125PS and 150PS engines in the outgoing model – and the powerful 200PS 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 160PS model offering exceptional figures of 43.5 mpg and 171g/km CO₂ emissions for reduced running costs – down from 36.2 mpg and 206g/km CO₂ in the outgoing model.

The Ford Ranger remains one of the most capable pickups in its class. With a class-leading ability to wade through water up to 800mm deep, and with 299mm 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 drivemodels to shift on the fly from two- to four-wheel drivehigh-range with a knob on the centre console. 

For low-speed torque or additional downhill braking in challenging terrain, drivers can also 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 3,500kg and exceptional payload capacity.

Advanced connectivity and driver assistance technologies

A host of cutting edge technologies are 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:

• Hill Launch Assist, which helps drivers confidently start off from a slope, whether in forward or reverse
• Hill Descent Control, which uses the traction control system to help when descending steep slopes at a constant speed
• Adaptive Load Control, which adjusts the Electronic Stability Control system based on vehicle load
• Emergency Brake Assistance, which provides additional pressure to the brake system to increase braking force when you apply the brakes quickly in an emergency situation

“For customers looking for a pickup 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.”