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Ranger detail divulged – but much left unsaid

Ford can tell you everything about new Ranger … save how much it will cost, what the fuel burns are and what emissions penalties are coming.

SIX-cylinder oomph will stand tall in the new-generation Ranger in the high-specification grades Kiwis give greatest preference to, but what ultimate cost that buy-in brings remains withheld.

 In sharing basic model range detail for the updated line that lands from June onward, Ford New Zealand has affirmed that the two new 3.0-litre V6 engines will be the primary implementations in high-end doublecab models.

 The turbodiesel is placing in the Wildtrak (where the incumbent 2.0-litre biturbo remains an option) and a new Sport edition and the twin turbo petrol is only facilitating in Raptor, which won’t arrive until late year.

 Ford NZ is still staying mum on salient information – not only the recommended retails but also claimed economies and exhaust emissions from the powertrains it offers.

 That means there’s a big question mark hanging over what consumers will pay above the RRPs in respect to Clean Car penalties purpose-designed to hurt utes that enact on April 1.

 This issue also reaches to the biturbo 2.0-litre four cylinder diesel because, even though it’s the same engine from the old family, power has diminished.

 Presumably, that might have some impact on factory-claimed exhaust outputs and optimal exhaust outputs – though it’s fair to think the latter will exceed the 192 grams per kilometre limit that hurts all utes sold here at present.

 Speculation about outputs from the six-cylinders has proved accurate.

 Ford says the diesel V6 will produce 184kW and 600Nm – pretty much identical to the output from this engine in the US-market Ford F-150 pick-up, and 6kW down (but 20Nm up) on the VW Amarok V6, the new 2023 version of which is also a recipient. The Raptor V6 creates 292kW and 583Nm; again lineball with US market recipient vehicles.

 The 2.0-litre biturbo maintains 500Nm, but power falls from 157kW to 154kW. There’s also a single turbo 2.0-litre diesel with 125kW and 405Nm for the entry XL.

 All engines save the base diesel feed through 10-speed automatic transmissions; the choice of manual has now gone. The entry diesel has a six-speed auto.

 The four-cylinder choices keep on with a shift-on-the-fly part-time four-wheel drive, the V6s take permanent four-wheel-drive that has a drive-enacted mode that will revert to rear-drive.

 There’s also a 4H for a 50/50 distribution front and rear and a two-speed low-range transfer case. Drive modes for the all-wheel-drive diesels are Normal, Eco, Tow/Haul and Slippery for on-road, and Mud/Ruts and Sand for use off-road. Raptor gets additional Sport, Rock Crawl and Baja modes.

 All models benefit from 3500kg braked towing capacities, bar the Ranger Raptor: It curtails at 2500kg. Wildtrak now includes an integrated electronic trailer brake controller.

 Standard features include a touchscreen ranging in size from 10.1 or 12 inches, a digital instrument display 8.0 or 12.4 inches), climate control and rear parking sensors. Active safety technology includes autonomous emergency braking, lane-keep assist, adaptive cruise control and, on doublecabs, blind-spot monitoring.

 The high-end derivatives have electric front seats, matrix LED headlights, seat heating, automatic parking, a 10-speaker B&O sound system, and an Off-Road Screen with a front off-road camera and assorted off-road metrics.