Coming next year, the Super Duty development of NZ’s favourite ute is a serious business.

REPORTING for duty in 2026, the latest kind of Ranger provides more reminder of the flexibility Ford has delivered with its one-tonne ute.

A Raptor to play the high-performance game, a soon to introduce a plug-in hybrid to deliver a greater degree of environmental responsibility … and now, with the full unveiling of the Super Duty, we’re getting a look into another promising development from the classic one-tonne formula most rival makes don’t divert from.

Showing off the Ranger Super Duty in Australia in production -ready form was an ingredient of the celebration of this being the 100th year since Ford started up over there, at Geelong, near Melbourne.

Don’t hit up your local dealer yet. Deliveries are not slated to begin at some point next year. While Ford says it will sold in a variety of configurations including Single Cab Chassis, Super Cab Chassis, Double Cab Chassis, and Double Cab pickup, there’s no pricing for those yet.

Still, on what’s been shown, the Ranger Super Duty would seem to delivers fully on promises the make made when first discussing the project last year.

Basically, it’s the F-150 of larger Super Duty you cannot easily get out of the United States, in a sizing that is potentially far more user-friendly sizer for our environment. And it’ll be one of a kind of a sub-sector that basically now buys into the much larger $146,500-plus Chevrolet Silverado and $164,900 RAM 1500, with no direct competitor from within the ever-growing one-tonne quarter.

A dressed-up V6 turbodiesel Ranger? No way, this is a radically re-engineered type.

In terms of mechanicals, Ranger Super Duty gets a LOT of upgrades – a stronger chassis, locking front and rear differentials, and the turbocharged diesel, while still mated to the 10-speed automatic transmission, has modified gearing and takes a fortified transfer case with a low range.

Ford hasn’t revealed a specific output for that powerplant in this application - in general use, it makes 184kW/600Nm in top $84,990 Wildtrak spec - but notes that it’s been “calibrated for heavy-duty emissions standards.” The Super Duty also gets a larger 130 litre fuel tank as standard.

In terms of capability, the Ranger Super Duty touts 4500 kilograms of towing capacity - regular issue Ranger tops at 3500kg - a 4500kg gross vehicle mass (GVM) and 8000kg of gross combined mass (GCM).

A heavy-duty frame-mounted steel bumper, a snorkel, taller side mirrors, standard driving light attachment points, a front bash plate, a unique front hood with “Super Duty” lettering, and an open-weave mesh grille are obvious visual alterations.

The Ranger Super Duty is also wider and offers more ground clearance than regular variants, and rolls on a set of eight-lug wheels and 33-inch General Grabber all-terrain tires.

The cabin features the same standard 12-inch infotainment screen achieved in other Rangers, but there are auxiliary switches in the overhead console. Customers can also opt for what The Blue Oval calls the Integrated Device Mounting system, which enables them to mount devices weighing up to nearly 4kg on the passenger side.