Ford have announced a range of adjustments to their Ranger Super Duty lineup to media at South Australia’s Bendleby Ranges. The most significant changes appear in the form of a new pickup utility, which joins the existing cab chassis.
Presented as an option for buyers who don’t need the bulk handling capabilities of a steel tray, it is, in essence the same tub found on more garden variety Ranger offerings, with exacting internal dimensions and a tub liner to boot.
A secondary 400w inverter to complement the one in the interior is also found back there, to power anything from a fridge to chargers for power tools, while the engine is running. The differences stem from what makes the Super Duty special.
That’s because the additional payload capability is carried across to the pickup body. To cope with that, extra crossmembers are added across the tub for added rigidity. The extra track width has also seen a pump to the tub guards, which makes for a menacing coke bottle flare.
Underneath, there’s also been changes to wheel wells to accommodate the larger rubber too. In XLT trim, it gains Traction Green as its hero colour to go with the with the charcoal coloured, almost-mono-block 18-inch wheels wrapped in General Tyre Grabber A/T rubber.
We were also introduced to the XL pickup, for those who prefer a more utilitarian model with a tub. It misses out on the carpets and leather inside and gets steel wheels instead of the chunky alloys. The dual cab chassis range also becomes available in the XLT trim.
It offers a little added in-cabin luxury and alloys, but is otherwise unchanged. All the features and capabilities of the cab chassis carry over into the pickup, including the clever onboard scales to help with weight management and resulting legalities.
The changes noted in the MY26.5 Ranger update have already made their way into the Super Duty too, including the trailer connection alarm. This feature will activate the vehicle’s alarm system and even notify through the app (in XLT grades) if a trailer has been disconnected.
Judging by the possible use cases for a Super Duty, be it a large caravan or commercial equipment, this is a very worthwhile addition indeed. On that app within the XLT grades, customers can also start and control air-conditioning systems remotely.
Ford made note of upcoming changes to the range. The MY27 Ranger Super Duty will see the XLT grade expanded out to the single and super cab body shapes, with the latter also having the option to be complied as a two-seater.
This means the internal space could be utilised as storage for extra security. Personally, I’m interested to see where the 4×4 market takes this sort of space in terms of fit out for things like fridges and the like.
Carpet will also feature as an option across the range, along with the choice of going for a 3.5-tonne hitch, rather than the larger 4.5-tonne option. The Ford team answered questions involving a failed alternator resulting from water ingress.
These sorts of things are difficult to place an opinion on, because there are too many variables that come into play. I was impressed though with Ford’s candour, with the head engineer of the Super Duty program explaining that a full assessment had been undertaken.
The result is upgraded bushings that should better withstand such circumstances into the future. Stay tuned for driving impressions on the new Super Duty updates, right here on Exhaust Notes Australia, later this week.
