New Ford Ranger with V6 turbo diesel and its VW Amarok sibling are getting closer to launch date.
Ford’s next-generation Ranger ute is likely to launch next year following news from VW that it’s new Amarok – based on the new Ford Ranger ute – will be “for sale by Volkswagen as the Amarok starting in 2022.”
The Ford ute is slated to be available before it, much like the arrangement between Isuzu and Mazda on their D-Max and BT-50, with Mazda, which has followed Isuzu’s development lead, launching its model after the D-Max.
The same arrangement is true of VW and Ford, with VW stating in its release that the VW-Ford commercial and electric vehicle alliance will “Produce a medium pickup truck engineered and built by Ford.”
That leaves Ford with an expected ETA on its Ranger of late-2021. And with the Blue Oval leading development and building VW’s Amarok at its Silverton production facility in South Africa, we also expect that the drivetrain options will be Ford.
As we reported back in March this year, VW’s current Amarok V6 engine is likely to be dropped for a newly-developed Ford Power Stroke 3.0-litre V6 turbo diesel, recently bolted into Ford F150 pick-ups producing 186kW and 596Nm. The engine is an adaptation of the 3.0L Lion V6 (TDCI), itself a variation on the Duratorq 2.7L that served in Australian-built Ford Territory models.
VW CEO Herbet Diess said in the media statement: “In light of the Covid 19 pandemic and its impacts on the global economy, more than ever it is vital to set up resilient alliances between strong companies.
“This collaboration will efficiently drive down development costs, allowing broader global distribution of electric and commercial vehicles, and enhance the positions of both companies.”
Ford CEO Jim Hackett added: “This alliance comes at a time of tremendous enthusiasm about the intersection of increasingly intelligent, connected vehicles in an ever-smarter world.
“This creates a huge opportunity to innovate and solve many of the world’s transportation challenges and deliver extraordinary benefits to customers – even as companies need to be selective about how they use their cash.”
With VW beginning to announce more small details about its next-gen Amarok, we expect Ford will also begin to filter teasers of its new Ranger soon.
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Here’s hoping they make the next gen Raptor full time AWD- then it’d have the traction, the power AND the suspension for serious overlanding with a camper in tow.
At the moment it only has the suspension, held back by a Briggs&Stratton engine and posing part time 4×4.
Defnitly will be AWD for the V6. The F4 cylinder will stick to part time 4×4.The choice is yours. As for the suspension for higher payload, that’s still unclear.
Full time traction will be great. The Everest got it, why not the Ranger.Will save cost to manufacture one instead of two drive trains.
Making the Ranger be AWD (re: open centre differential) would be awesome however it will still need to retain the ability for 4WD High Range by allowing the centre differential to be locked, the Everest has AWD but no 4WD High Range (re: centre diff lock).
Come on Ford make up your mind and give buyers what the need and then want.
Not true, Everest has AWD 4X4 HIGH AND LOW and a rear diff lock.
Please MAKE WHEEL BASE 200MM LONGER
EXTRA 100MM REAR LEGROOM AND EXTRA 100MM IN THE TRAY
That would be nice but I think only the width will change to the size of the current Amarok(Next gen Amarok will be based on the Ranger) . There will be a few. mm added to the cabin, proberly about halve of what you want, the tray, not sure. But hey ever mm helps.
Why permanent awd? It will only increase fuel consumption. No thanks.
Not really, if you look at the consumption on the Ranger and Everest witch is AWD and a lot heavier, it’s more or less the same. Saying that, it makes more sence with the new V6 600 Nm. That’s a lot of torque.
agree req the raptor, I drive one but even with the peppy 2.0 motor it needs more traction
Makes perfect sense to me, the best truck and car makers working together with a common goal. Why try and reinvent the wheel? I have no idea why Ford need VW if they are using the F150 engine 3.0 v6 TD, should have done this years ago! And I think the 2.3 ecoboost petrol would be a popular option in Australia, tuned up for the Wildtrak if nothing else, or even a 5.0 v8 option for the top of the range. Would be great marketing even if they don’t sell big numbers. Furthermore, why don’t they just convert the F150 to RHD, the best telling truck in the world the last 40 years in a Row and forget the Ranger! Then you have all the engines and the US development team working with/for you! Economies of scale don’t get any better than that!
Ford and VW alliance to reduce production costs isn’t new.. This joint partnership has happened before in regional markets, where production and product were specifically targeted for local market. The result? Catastrophic. Neither VW fans/ byers/ customers would be content with the product as it was never a VW product. Likewise, Ford customers would not buy anything these two would produce, as VW and Ford are two very distinct Ute manufacturers. This is called a open opportunity for other Ute manufactures to consolidate there share Ute share market.