A lot of folks in Australia seem hyped about the Ranger Super Duty. It’s a smaller ute that can tow 4,500kg and carry a 1-tonne load.
Some are calling it a competitor to the F150. But where does it actually fit? The regular Ranger is already $48-97k, so the Super Duty is likely to cost more. If the top-end Super Duty is priced around $110-115k, wouldn’t the F150 at $118-154k look like a better deal? It’s bigger, with more space and features.
If they price it too low, why pay $100k for a Super Duty XLT when you could get a regular Ranger Platinum for $13k less? Plus, if they stick to only two trims (XL and XLT), as some media outlets claim, will this even be a ute people need?
This seems like it’ll be big with Overlanders. They love turning their trucks into mobile campers, even if it means going over the factory payload rating.
A full-size American truck is too bulky for tight trails and daily driving. Ford probably thinks this niche market, plus some fleet sales, makes it worth upgrading the Ranger.
I doubt it’ll be a big seller, but for those wanting heavy-duty capability in a smaller truck, it’s a great option. Wish my F150 had a better payload!
@Brady
If they spec it right, it’ll sell to folks who need a smaller truck to haul expensive toys like race cars. Big trucks aren’t great on narrow roads, so that towing bump will make life easier.
Cassian said:
I think it’s aimed at government departments that used to run G Professionals or 70 Series V8s. Just a guess though.
But is that enough of a market to justify building a whole new model?
Many departments dropped the Land Cruiser to seem more eco-friendly. After all the issues with the Victorian government’s Gelandewagens, others canceled their orders. Even the Army doesn’t seem happy with their choice.
@Sage
We haven’t seen much yet, just teasers. Someone mentioned it’s running 10-stud axles. Maybe it’s a tougher Ranger XLT with a high-output or tuned 3.0L Lion V6 diesel. It could fill the gap between an F150’s capacity but keep the Ranger’s size.
There’s a crowd missing the V8 Land Cruiser. This might grab their attention. If it only has the Lion V6, it could still be a hit with Overlanders if it hauls enough. Just my two cents though—I could be way off .
This is for people who need to tow more than 3,500kg. It’ll overlap with regular Ranger prices but cost a bit more for comparable trims.
I’ve heard they’re looking at XLT and something like a Wildtrak trim, but that info might be outdated. The Australian test vehicles seem close to XLT specs.
As for competing with the F150, I don’t think they’ll price it that high. And those Australian F150 conversions aren’t exactly the best quality.
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