Ford provides a first glimpse of the 2022 arrival - including film of it testing in the South Island.

FORD has offered a sneak peek at the 2022 new Ranger – with images and a video being posted - and also confirmed we will see it in showroom-ready state later this year.

In releasing images of the next-gen model testing in “its natural habitat” – as the video shows, that’s not only Australia's outback but also the Snow Farm winter testing ground above Cardrona – Ford also confirmed the covers will come off “later this year” ahead of a 2022 launch.

There’s expectation this new line will be a big update of the current T6 rig that’s been around for a decade and is still riding high as a New Zealand favourite, including positioning as the most popular new light vehicle sold here in August.

This Ranger is, of course, also going to in time become the new Volkswagen Amarok, however the German brand is the junior partner.

Styling-wise, the Ranger is expected to take its design cues from the US-market Ford F-150, while inside, the tech offering will include a bigger touchscreens and Ford's newest user interface software.

The big question mark hangs over the choice of powertrains.

There’s expectation the 157kW/500Nm 2.0-litre four-cylinder twin-turbo diesel engine from the current Ranger Raptor will likely be the only carry-over engine, and will appear in much more of the new range.

Australia’s media speculate it is expected to be joined by a new 130kW/420Nm single-turbo version for entry-level variants.

There has also been a lot of talk about a pair of flagship V6 engines – a 3.0-litre single-turbo diesel producing about 185kW/600Nm, and a 2.7-litre twin-turbo petrol developing around 230kW/540Nm.

A plug-in hybrid model has been spied testing in Europe, but general thought is that it's not expected to be available at launch.

Meantime, Ford offered only brief comment today, saying: “Captured testing in its natural habitat, the Next-Generation Ranger has been designed and engineered in Australia for local conditions and will be the toughest, most capable and most connected Ranger yet developed by Ford.

“With superior off-road credentials paired with Ford’s dynamic driving DNA, the Next-Generation Ranger will be the perfect vehicle for work, family, and play. This is not just a Built Ford Tough truck; it is the smartest and most versatile Ranger yet.”