Ford Ranger 2008 News

Hot on the heels of the Australian government's mandatory Takata airbag recall, Ford, Audi and Tesla have joined the list of carmakers to detail which of it's models are affected.

THE Toyota HiLux may be "unbreakable" but it turns out it's not "unbeatable". Australia's top-selling crew-cab ute for the past 35 years in a row is officially under attack.The new Ford Ranger is denting the Toyota HiLux's domination of the ute market, chipping away at the mining business, government departments -- and doubling sales to private buyers so far this year.Confidential figures obtained by Carsguide show the Ford Ranger has outsold the Toyota HiLux in government fleet sales, and is closing the gap in deliveries to mining companies and other businesses.Last year Toyota sold approximately 2600 HiLuxes to state and federal governments compared to 3500 deliveries of the Ranger to the same agencies.Even though Toyota recently updated its HiLux to a five-star safety rating (making it eligible for government and mining contracts) the Ford Ranger still leads in government sales so far this year (800 versus 500 in the first three months of 2014). The secret industry figures also reveal the Ford Ranger is closing in on the Toyota HiLux's lucrative mining contracts.Last year, Toyota sold 16,000 HiLuxes to mining companies and other businesses compared to more than 11,200 Rangers -- a gap of 29 per cent to Toyota. But so far this year, Ford Ranger sales are only 21 per cent behind the HiLux (3500 versus 2700).The news of the Ranger's inroads comes as Ford has released a beefed-up version of its pick-up to appeal to the mining industry -- and it's been made available to the public so that mining contractors, or private buyers with heavy-duty needs, can buy the vehicle.The Ranger XL Plus gains underbody protection shields, mud flaps, a factory-fitted tow bar (previously only standard on the top models), running boards, heavy duty canvas seat covers, a second battery (80 amp hours), a larger wiring harness, 17-inch steel wheels with Continental all-terrain tyres and daytime running lights.As with other Ranger models, the XL Plus retains the vehicle's 3500kg towing capacity. Black bumpers are standard but an ANCAP five-star rated bullbar is optional. Ford says the Ranger 4x4 XL Plus will be available in single-cab chassis ($46,280), double-cab chassis ($51,760) and double cab pick-up ($52,760) body styles.All models come standard with a 3.2-litre turbo-diesel five-cylinder engine matched to a six-speed automatic transmission. The first shipments of the Ranger XL Plus are due to arrive in May.Meanwhile, Ford says supply of the top-of-the-range Ranger WildTrak model has improved and the four-to-six-month waiting lists should start to come down. Ford dealers also report that the built-in navigation unit that was exclusive to the Ranger WildTrak will also be available on the Ranger XLT model from July.A rear view camera is still not available as a factory fit item on any version of the Ranger except the top-line WildTrak, leaving Ford exposed as cameras become increasingly available on rival pick-ups.In a media statement, Ford Australia Vice President of Marketing, Sales and Service, Graeme Whickman, said Ford worked with the mining sector and government agencies to develop the Ranger XL Plus. "These industries have very specific demands on their vehicles so that's why we created the Ranger 4x4 XL Plus," said Mr Whickman."It will be a popular addition to mining industry and business sector fleets but we also expect there to be strong support from private customers who have a particular need for this type of vehicle."The Ranger was designed and engineered in Australia but is being manufactured in three continents and is sold in more than 180 countries -- more countries than have McDonald's stores.All Rangers sold in Australia come from Ford's joint venture factory with Mazda in Thailand and are subject to a zero import tariff.

Aussie car fans and nostalgia buffs will tell you that local motoring reached its peak in the 1970s.

Four Falcons rolled during a tortuous and historic acid test aimed to prove up the  durability of Ford’s new sedan. The year was 1965 and not only did the 'Durability Run' devised as a sales push by Ford Australia managing director Bill Bourke manage to impress new-car buyers, it also showcased the rigours of the company’s proving grounds near Geelong. The five XP Falcons that were subjected to the test all finished - the four were righted after their accidents and continued - each racking up 112,000km at an average sped of 112km/h over almost nine days. For the Ford proving ground at You Yangs, a 7sq.km open site on plains aside the Flinders mountain range 22km from Geelong, it was the ultimate test. Even now, almost 50 years later, the incessant testing of Ford product - and product from other manufacturers - continues 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You Yangs is one of 11 Ford-owned proving grounds in the world. The reason for its importance is reflected in the durability run of the XP. Ford boss Bourke  copped an avalanche of bad press and poor owner reviews on the reliability of the first XK and subsequent XL Falcon models. His solution was to throw open You Yangs and show the public how the (then) new Ford model would survive. He chose five Falcon XPs off the production line and gave the keys to race drivers - Harry Firth was one - with the brief to drive them flat out  until each had covered 112,000km (the equivalent of 70,000 miles). It was not rehearsed and Bourke ensured the event was transparent. Ford in Detroit rated it so important that Henry Ford II attended. The run was regarded as a success and to ice the cake for the fleet buyers, Ford gave cars away for a six month trial to major corporates. It was the last public display of the proving grounds. Ford spokesperson Sinead Phipps says the facility is out of bounds. “We never allow the public into the proving ground and security is always strictly controlled,’‘ she says. Taking 10 cars from the Carsguide Car of the Year list onto You Yangs was a privilege. It was the perfect facility to put our selection under a variety of conditions that ranged from a high-speed ride and handling circuit to a gravel track and braking and acceleration pads. The centrepiece to You Yangs is a 5km parabolic high-speed circuit though there are equally as importlant low-speed tracks, special surface areas - including cobblestones, corrugations and Belgian blocks - and salt and mud baths. Aside from the 40km of roads, the facility includes a crash test area, a new high-speed wind tunnel, climatic and emissions testing laboratories, an environmental exposure area and an anechoic dyno chamber.

Gibson is Ford's Asia-Pacific design chief and helped put the key design touches on the Max concept.The Max made its first appearance last week at the Thailand Motor Expo, a country that loves its one tonne pickups.Although just a concept at this stage, the spicy looking bright orange ute provides a strong hint of what the next-generation Ranger will look like in 2010."We have a great opportunity to test design themes that may make their way into production," Gibson says."Ranger Max says exciting things about the possibilities for truck fans in the Ranger's future."Gibson was helped out by Thai pickup specialists, along with Ford's Australia-based Asia-Pacific office and its office in Africa.Gibson was also involved in designing Ford's 4-Trac off-roader, which debut at the Thailand show in 2005.He was also behind the Focus concept sedan, which starred in Beijing in 2004.The second-generation Ranger has been a success story for Ford Australia and Mazda, which repackages it as the BT-50.Since its launch in 2007 Ford has sold more than 25,000 of the workhorse ute.Locally strong Ranger sales have underpinned Ford Australia's performance this year with sales of the 4x2 versions up more than 50 per cent and 4x4 versions by 21 per cent.The ute is available with a 105kW/330Nm 2.5-litre or 115kW/380Nm 3.0-litre turbo-diesel engine.Despite the success of Ranger and BT-50 here, the Ranger's fortunes in Asia have not been so kind.Despite being on the market in second-generation form for three years in Asia, it has received a lukewarm reception there because both the BT-50 and Ranger platforms are carried over from the first-generation models.An all-new replacement is due now in 2010 if the global car crisis shows signs of a recovery.Like Australia, a Thai version of the Toyota HiLux dominates the ute market there.Apart from Toyota and Mazda, Mitsubishi, Honda and Isuzu also build pickups in Thailand for the home and export markets.The Thai market for pickups is the second largest in the world after the United States.