Ford has revealed the full gambit of changes for the incoming Ranger facelift; it looks like Wildtrak hogs the best bits.

FOUR cylinders or five, 10 speeds or six – that’s the new choice for Wildtrak buyers when the updated Ford Ranger arrives in October.

Recent comment from Ford NZ boss Simon Rutherford supporting conjecture that the existing 3.2-litre turbodiesel and six-speed transmission will maintain in the updated model without revision to its 147kW/470Nm outputs has proven correct.

However, the brand has today revealed it will nonetheless also introduce in the mainstream line the 2.0-litre biturbo diesel and 10-speed it is provisioning for the specialist Raptor.

News of this provision was announced along with details of specification enhancements also incoming with the mid-life update. Ford is keeping quiet about pricing until closer to launch.

That 157kW/500Nm unit will become an alternate powertrain for the Wildtrak, which until the $85,000 Raptor arrives will maintain as the most expensive Ranger available. Ford has not said if the biturbo will carry a premium over the 3.2 in this format.

Also continuing as a budget choice in the one-tonner is a 2.2-litre four-cylinder diesel, making 118kW and 385Nm.

Ford announced the new Ranger today and provisioned the two photographs here, that show off the modest styling revisions. The same look is expected to transfer to its SUV cousin, the Everest, when it updates around Christmas.

In terms of specification changes, it seems that Wildtrak alone benefits from a big enhancement in active safety technology. The existing Pre-Collision Assist will update to include an Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) with Pedestrian Detection and Vehicle Detection.

Traffic Sign Recognition, available for the first time on Ranger, is designed to identify traffic signs whether they are at the side of the road or above it, permanent or temporary. An icon of the speed sign appears on the instrument cluster and changes every time you enter a new limit.

Lane Keeping Alert and Lane Keeping Aid, and Adaptive Cruise Control with Forward Alert are also now a feature on the Wildtrak, Ford says.

Wildtrak also features include Active Park Assist (APA), which enables semi-automatic parallel parking. The driver needs only to apply the throttle and brakes, as the system steers the Ranger into the parking space.

Criticism of Ranger’s high deck being challenging for loading has been answered, with what Ford calls an easy-lift tailgate. This is on all models. With a new internal mechanism, the Ranger’s tailgate is now lighter to lift, with a 70 percent reduction in initial force required to raise it for closing. Not only does this system require less effort to lift, it also means that it will not drop suddenly when lowered, or if accidentally dropped. Instead, it lowers itself under its own weight.

Keyless entry and push button start is standard to XLT and Wildtrak. Ford says it has upgraded the suspension across the range to reduce and better control roll, with an emphasis on improving the driving experience when fully-laden and towing.

New packaging also enables geometry changes that bring improved ride, a reduction in body roll as well as improved steering precision. While improving the drive and refinement, the suspension changes do not impact on Ranger’s class-leading towing and payload capabilities, the brand attests.

The styling revisions run to a new grille and a more distinctively chiseled lower bumper with a broader intake. Ranger Wildtrak and XLT boast LED daytime running lights and HID headlights.

Ford claims clearer distinction between models visually, with bumper treatments and colours reflecting the unique character of each model.

Chrome brightwork on Ranger XLT and Ranger Wildtrak reflects each model’s unique position in the line-up, while exclusive to Wildtrak is the new ‘Sabre’ hero colour, this being a rich orange with blonde accents, A sports-bar and optional black-finish 18-inch alloy wheels will further differentiate Wildtrak from the pack, the brand claims.

The Ranger lineup will comprise a singlecab cab/chassis and a supercab in pickup, both in 2.2 and 3.2 formats, and a doublecab, in cab/chassis 2.2 and 3.2, and purely 3.2 pick up formats (save the Wildtrak).