Ford Teases the Next-Generation Ranger with First Footage
Photo: Ford
Ford is oh-so-close to revealing the next-generation Ranger pickup. So close you can taste it. But you don’t actually have to try and taste it. You can just watch some footage of a camoed-up truck testing in tough and treacherous conditions.
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Watch: Next-generation Ford Ranger ‘Tested to the Extreme’
Set to the tune of Royal Deluxe’s “Bad,” you see a next-generation Ford Ranger kicking all manner of ass in the wilderness. Mud? Sand? Rocks? Snow? All handled. And all handled with extreme prejudice. Emphasis on the extreme, of course.
Ford Australia posted the video on its YouTube channel last week, calling it the “smartest, most versatile, and most capable Ranger ever.” There are no substantive details about features and powertrains and whatnot, but you can start speculating as to what that’ll all entail.
As for speculation, the early word is that the next-generation Ranger will offer a plug-in hybrid variant. Given Ford’s push to electrify its lineup — with the ultimate goal of full electrification across the board — that wouldn’t be much of a shock.
It’s also not going to be too shocking to find out that the Ranger will offer all sorts of off-road tools. In the video, you can see it climbing and descending steep grades with poise, throwing it down in the mud, and doing doughnuts on the snow.
Looks-wise, the updated Ranger seems like it’s taking some cues from the Maverick with similar C-shaped headlights peeking out beneath the camo. The footage also shows extended and crew cab models.
Next-generation Ford Ranger to America when?
Photo: Ford
Naturally, when a video like this hits, your first question is when is it coming to America? The North American version of the next-gen Ranger will be built in Michigan and could vary a bit from what’s revealed for Australia and Europe, but we do know that a next-generation Ranger is coming soon.
In fact, a Ford rep told The Drive, “We’ll share more details about the next-generation Ranger for North America at a later date.” Ford will launch the 2022 Ranger — with the returning Splash Package — later this year.
The next-gen Ford Ranger for Europe and Australia will debut in full sometime before year’s end ahead of a 2022 launch.
Kyle S. Johnson lives in Cincinnati, a city known by many as “the Cincinnati of Southwest Ohio.” He enjoys professional wrestling, Halloween, and also other things. He has been writing for a while, and he plans to continue to write well into the future. See more articles by Kyle.