Auto Connexion Launches Stylish New Ford Ranger
Petaling Jaya, April 24, 2009
Sime Darby Auto Connexion Sdn Bhd (Auto ConneXion), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sime Darby Motor Division and the Ford distributor in Malaysia, has launched the stylish new Ford Ranger.
Fully imported from Thailand, the visually exciting new Ranger boasts a host of improvements that are set to reinforce its reputation as the best all-round truck in the market.
The new Ranger is powered by Ford’s proven 2.5-litre Duratorq turbodiesel engine is best-in-class and is capable of churning out 105 kW/143 PS of power and 330 Nm of torque. It comes with a choice of automatic or manual transmission.
The new Ranger TDCi XLT with a 5-speed automatic transmission is priced at RM88,888 (Peninsular Malaysia) and RM92,388 (Sabah and Sarawak) while the Ranger TDCi XLT 5-speed manual transmission is priced at RM82,888 (Peninsular Malaysia) and RM86,388 (Sabah and Sarawak). All prices quoted exclude registration, road tax and insurance.
The new Ranger will be available for public viewing, test drives and bookings at Auto ConneXion branches and dealers nationwide from April 29, 2009. As an introductory offer, every new Ranger TDCi XLT purchased will come with a free accessories package worth RM2,000 while stocks last.
Based closely on the widely acclaimed Ranger MAX concept that was first unveiled at the Thailand International Motor Expo last November, the new Ranger exudes a distinct sense of style yet maintains the renowned ‘Built Ford Tough’ heritage.
The new Ranger’s ‘tough yet stylish’ message is clearly evident on the truck’s fascia. The horizontal three-bar grille embossed with “RANGER” lettering, the functional twin black vertical nostrils, the extended opening below the bumper line, and large headlamps that wrap around each front corner effectively establish a new design benchmark as they marry the traditional with the new.
Respected throughout more than 130 markets around the world, the new Ford Ranger effectively combines genuine durability and toughness with a new distinct and muscular exterior design.
“Through the years the Ranger has earned the respect from those who depend on their truck every day,” says Ian Constance, Product Development Director, Ford Motor Company, Asia Pacific and Africa. “The new Ranger leverages its toughness with Ford's engineering know-how to create a compact truck that is unequalled for its all-around ability and style.”
This blend of strength and style – Ford describes it as Tough Style – defines the new Ranger and brings to the compact truck segment a very high degree of attention to design and detail beyond the competition's offerings.
“Its contemporary design gives the new Ranger instant credibility as an urban vehicle and its versatility makes it a logical lifestyle choice,” says Scott Strong, Design Director, Ford Motor Company, Asia Pacific and Africa. “You’d be proud to be seen driving the new Ranger anywhere, and its strong on-road presence is built upon expert craftsmanship and detailed design.”
Bold New Ranger Face
In design terms, the new front styling takes the Ranger from the shadows and puts it under the spot light. The three-bar grille on the new Ranger is one of Ford’s global design traits and is a prominent feature on the flagship F-150 full-size pickup in the United States. Its boldness is contrasted by clever details, including recessed grille meshwork and two elongated ‘nostril’ duct shapes.
Visually, the new front design reflects the robust character of the Ranger. Functionally, the new front design directs air where it is needed to aid in efficient air-conditioning performance and engine cooling in hot weather. The large opening in the lower fascia provides a fresh supply of cool air to the TDCi turbocharged engine's intercooler. By mounting the intercooler forward of the radiator and directly in the flow of cool air, the boosted intake charge from the variable-geometry turbocharger remains consistent and allows the engine to perform more efficiently.
“Several of our competitors position the intercooler above the engine and use a dramatic scoop on the hood to direct air to it. We found intercooler performance to be far better when located where we've positioned it – low and in the direct flow of air,” explains Hiroaki Hashimoto, Ranger Program Director, Ford Motor Company, Asia Pacific and Africa.
The new Ranger’s lower fascia includes integrated eyebrow shapes for foglamps and subtle features influenced by aerodynamic testing.
The design of the side mirrors is where aero testing paid gains. Despite the fact that the mirrors are very large to improve visibility, the side mirrors' shape is sleek and allows the wind to flow past without creating turbulence and wind noise. As a detail design change on top-end Ranger models, the turn indicator is incorporated into the mirror housing as a row of LEDs.
The new Ranger's sleek Tough Style is supported by solid engineering. The tapered front is more aerodynamic and sweeps rearward at its edges to incorporate the Ranger’s bold front wheel arches. This key design detail communicates the new Ranger’s solid, confident stance and composed handling character.
The new Ranger XLT comes with six-spoke 16-inch alloy wheels that complement the new exterior design and do not trap mud and dirt.
Details by Design
Drawing attention to the trailing edge of each front fender is a black vent plate incorporating a chrome RANGER badge on high-series models. This new element exemplifies contemporary design that distinguishes the new Ranger from its competition.
Directly above these unique vents and equally detailed in their design are new enlarged side mirrors finished in chrome offering excellent visibility. Following a consistent design direction, Ranger’s door handles and tailgate handle are also finished in chrome. Overfender arches on the new Ranger models are finished in body colour and all models feature a rear bumper in body colour with black step-plate. The new Ford Ranger is offered with five exterior paint choices: Black Mica, Arizona Gold, Cool White, Titanium Gray, Silver Metalic.
Clear tail lamps – another contemporary design cue – visually unite the smooth tailgate with the sculpted box side with appealing coherence. The clear tail lamps provide an interesting visual contrast to the new Ranger's exterior colour range.
Style, Space, Craftsmanship and Comfort
Even with its proven truck toughness and capability, the new Ranger's interior offers carlike comfort and low NVH, thanks to ergonomically crafted seats, climate control and MP3-compatible audio and a body shell engineered to isolate the cabin from road noise.
All new Ranger models offer AM/FM radio and an MP3-compatible CD player as standard. The audio unit features a digital display that incorporates a clock function. The lower centre console features an integral 12-volt power outlet and AUX input connection for popular MP3 players, such as the Apple iPod.
There is also an array of clever stowage solutions, including a centre stack sunglass storage binnacle, a front-door stowage bin that holds a half-litre water bottle and a handy pull-out tray above the glove compartment. The sliding tray, extending the width of the passenger side of the dashboard, supports a weight of 10 kilograms and can be used as a work surface.
The new Ranger’s large centre console is divided into two levels. The top bin can accommodate mobile phone or sunglasses, while the lower bin accommodates larger objects, including up to 10 CD cases. The instrument panel features the contemporary and relaxing appeal of red illumination, ensuring excellent visibility day and night and also giving Ranger’s interior a dynamic feel. Power window and mirror controls are within easy reach of the driver on the door panel. The driver’s window has a one-touch down feature and the switch is backlit for visibility at night.
Ranger Power and Capability
The new Ford Ranger for the Malaysian market is powered by Ford’s acclaimed 2.5-litre Duratorq TDCi diesel engine with a class leading torque output of 330 Nm or 143PS. It employs advanced turbo technology – intercooler and variable-geometry turbocharging – to reduce turbo lag and improve overall performance. The common-rail fuel system combines high fuel pressure of up to 1600 bar and multiple phase injection timing to deliver efficient power and refined operating characteristics.
Ford powertrain engineers have developed the advanced TDCi engine to deliver exceptional overall qualities to give the new Ranger a driving advantage against its competitors.
Ranger 4x4 Goes To Extremes
With the advantage of 34 degrees and 33 degrees approach and departure angles, respectively, the new Ranger provides superior ground clearance and river fording capability. The new Ranger 4x4 utilizes a proven Borg Warner transfer case and the ease of electronic shift-on-the-fly when accompanying the five-speed automatic transmission.
Those who are serious about off-road driving for either work or recreation will recognise the advantages of the new Ranger's low-range gearing reduction of 2.48:1 (automatic transmission) and 2.02:1 (manual transmission). This exceptionally low gearing combines with the high-torque TDCi engines to make the new Ranger the most capable 4x4 compact pickup to travel beyond where the pavement ends. The underside of is well armoured. Fuel tank, transfer case, engine and transmission are protected by strong steel plating.
Ranger Tough
The new Ranger isn’t just about Tough Style. It is about proven truck toughness. The new Ranger’s toughness starts with a purpose-built truck backbone. Its unique overlapped, cross-braced ladder frame delivers clear strength superiority. The frame is engineered for greater rigidity than H-beam or open-beam configurations. The frame structure is the foundation of the new Ranger’s load-carrying capacity, towing capability, durability, handling performance and ride quality.
A truck-tough, long-leaf rear suspension with oversized 32mm gas shock absorbers provide consistent ride stability and load capacity. This gives the new Ranger its renowned big-load capability and smooth ride. The front suspension, optimized for laden and unladen roadholding and handling, is a truck-engineered double-wishbone design with torsion bar springs.
The new Ranger is the only compact truck in its class to prioritise driving dynamics as a core product quality. Ford's chassis engineers have tuned the suspension's elements to reduce body roll and to give it a poised, confident handling character reinforced by precise accurate steering.
Engineers have matched perfectly the clutch pedal effort and action to coordinate with the manual transmission's gear selector throw and shift efforts. These detail touches are commonly experienced in sports cars…and the new Ranger. Excellent pedal layout that allows for heel-toe shifting benefits the urban driver with an enthusiastic, precise shift quality. The 4x4 driver will realise the value of the new Ranger's perfect heel-toe pedal layout in extreme conditions.
The new Ranger also employs a two-way mechanical, multiplate, torque-sensing limited slip differential in the rear axle. It helps to optimize torque balance between the left and right rear wheels in low-traction situations and in higher speed cornering, as well. Stopping power is another Ranger strength. The new Ranger offers as standard a four-sensor, three-channel, four-wheel antilock braking system designed to prevent wheel lockup during hard braking.
The new Ranger also features electronic brake-force distribution (EBD), a system which distributes braking force to the front and rear wheels in accordance with the vehicle’s speed and the load applied to the rear wheels. By increasing the rear-wheel braking force when the rear wheels are heavily loaded, this system enables safer, more effective braking with shorter braking and stopping distances. It has been calibrated especially for the truck's load carrying and towing capabilities, giving the Ranger driver an added feeling of confidence.
The new Ranger features thick, ventilated front brake disc rotors, with generously sized pads for optimal heat handling capacity and pedal feel. Four-wheel-drive versions have the assurance of dual opposing-piston callipers, another touch of Ranger Tough Style.
The Load Ranger
The heart of Ranger’s truck capability is its extra-deep-sidewall pickup box. This design maximises load capacity and cargo flexibility. The Ranger pickup box features:
- Well-placed cargo tie-downs. Easy to access, these tie-down hooks have been designed with Ford’s extensive truck engineering experience.
- Slotted inner fenders that allow the easy insertion of available shelving systems for cargo management and loading.
- In Malaysia, the new Ranger Double Cab’s pickup box dimensions are1530mm by 1456mm
The World of Ranger
Designed by a Ford design team based in Melbourne, Australia, the new Ranger is built in Rayong, Thailand, for Ford’s Asia Pacific and Africa region and global export. It is marketed in approximately 130 nations.
The new fully imported Ford Ranger is available at all Ford showrooms nationwide. It also comes standard with a 3-year/100,000 km warranty whichever comes first. For more information, please call Auto ConneXion Voice hotline at 1 800 88 3181.