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2018 Ford Ranger | spy pics

A new two-bar grille reveals hints to what the fresh-faced Ford Ranger may look like when it is expected to debut next year.

A left-hand drive Ford Ranger test mule has been caught testing in Victoria's Gippsland region as the Blue Oval's Australian product and development team put the workhorse through its paces in preparation for its stateside debut.

The pictures, sent in by a keen-eyed Bairnsdale reader, show off a camouflaged Ranger with a trailer in tow, indicating either load-haul testing or additional weight ride evaluation.

What can also be glimpsed from the photos is a slightly new look, hinting that Ford Australia may already be developing a facelift for the current model of its top-selling light-commercial vehicle.

Top-spec headlights and black wheels point to a Wildtrak variant.

A new two-bar horizontal grille adorns the snout, putting the design in line with other recently updated Ford off-roaders including the Everest (which shares its underpinnings with the Ranger) and new Escape, as well as the US market F-Series truck – lending further credence to the theory that this is a US market test mule.

Top-spec headlights and black wheels point to a Wildtrak variant, but other design updates are harder to spot through the camo.

The Ranger is expected to land in American showrooms in 2019 and will compete against other light trucks including the Toyota Tacoma, Chevrolet Colorado, Nissan Frontier and Honda Ridgeline.

Alongside the stateside release of the pick-up, Ford also confirmed the return of the Bronco nameplate at last month's Detroit motor show, to be built on the same T6 platform as the Australian-developed Ranger and Everest SUV.

Ford Australia product communications manager Damion Smy said the US-market Ranger will be "tailored to the needs of North American customers with unique front styling, engines and features."

"In regards to left-hand drive, as you know, our You Yangs proving ground is a development hub for Ford products globally, so it's not unusual to have LHD vehicles on-site," he added.

Will a new look keep the Ford Ranger's sales fortunes running high despite its ageing platform? Tell us what you think in the comments below.