T6 Ranger spied

[phillyc]

There are some photos in the link both the US and Australia.

http://news.pickuptrucks.com/2009/05...ll-pickup.html

PS Under the tape, the badge almost looks like VW. What the?! Disguise?!

[R-Design]

Originally Posted by phillyc

PS Under the tape, the badge almost looks like VW. What the?! Disguise?!

Maybe a Mazda badge, they're sharing the platform.

[XR Martin]

Looks like a Mazda badge to me

EDIT: Beaten by a minute

[Paxton]

It is a Mazda badge. Mazda are building the prototypes for Ford Australia, with much chagrin.

[BigCav]

to me it looks horrible, well as it is in the black it looks good, but u can tell once its the front bar is color coded its going to look like a sangyong,

almost a cross between a hilux and sangyong.

[XR Martin]

If you read the article and comments further down you will realise the body is a mix and match of old panels and new structure.

[Swordsman88]

Originally Posted by Paxton

It is a Mazda badge. Mazda are building the prototypes for Ford Australia, with much chagrin.

I'm assuming they are building them at the thai plant andrew??? The BT50 and ranger are basically the same so it makes some sense. I just wonder how much of the vehicle is actually the new sheetmetal and how much is old. Some of it is certainly recognisable as current stuff...but what about the cabin/windscreen area.....

Do you have any knowledge of when it is going to actually be on sale. 2011 i think i remember hearing.

[JPFS1]

it's just an early mule. Body is far from the final. Chassis is all new though and this is what the testing is all about at the moment, particularly in Japan.

[Paxton]

Originally Posted by Swordsman88

I'm assuming they are building them at the thai plant andrew??? The BT50 and ranger are basically the same so it makes some sense. I just wonder how much of the vehicle is actually the new sheetmetal and how much is old. Some of it is certainly recognisable as current stuff...but what about the cabin/windscreen area.....

Do you have any knowledge of when it is going to actually be on sale. 2011 i think i remember hearing.

As far as I know, these are built at the Thai plant, yes. These are 'attribute prototypes', so they are a mishmash of old parts on the new platform. These actually look like Rangers, however. The first lot of Prototypes had Mitsubishi Triton bodies on them.

The Sheetmetal Prototypes are still coming. I have no idea of an on sale date, sorry.

[Swordsman88]

Originally Posted by Paxton

As far as I know, these are built at the Thai plant, yes. These are 'attribute prototypes', so they are a mishmash of old parts on the new platform. These actually look like Rangers, however. The first lot of Prototypes had Mitsubishi Triton bodies on them.

The Sheetmetal Prototypes are still coming. I have no idea of an on sale date, sorry.

Thanks for the info andrew. GIven they are just attribute prototypes it will be some time before they are on sale then. It certainly has been a long project T6 but i suppose you get that when you are doing a platform from scratch. I look forward to continued spy pics just to see how things are going.

Does anyone have any technical details (even basic) on this truck. Apart from current engines and rough dimensions i haven't heard peep about it. Front suspension looks pretty standard double wishbone and the platform is certainly much wider in track based on the photos.....

[jasjul]

As previously said, it's a cobbled together body over new mechanicals. From the rear, it looks like a current shape tub with flairs tacked on to cover a new wider rear axle. If the whole vehicle ends up that width, it will be a roomy DC cab ute.

[vbomber]

I have also heard that ford are also using modified tritons as mules as well

Some more pics:
http://www.leftlanenews.com/ford-ranger-2012.html

Interesting to see the Fiesta steering wheel in the ute

[FPV8U]

Are they testing these in AUS?

I saw a very CAMO'd Light commercial like this at a servo yesterday, but didn't have time to stop and take a photo.

[aquahead2001]

Originally Posted by FPV8U

Are they testing these in AUS?

I saw a very CAMO'd Light commercial like this at a servo yesterday, but didn't have time to stop and take a photo.

Yes, there's a photo of one very near Geelong that's on the Pickuptrucks.com website. I'd assume it'll also appear on the Herald-Sun or News Websites as it was copywrited "James Stanford" who writes for them...

Thery're been seen around the Geelong area for a few weeks.

[Cobra]

I guess there's no plan to slot a V6 in there?

[XR6_190]

Originally Posted by Cobra

I guess there's no plan to slot a V6 in there?

Why should they waste time on a V6, when they could go for the 4.0L Inline 6? Since it's being developed out here anyway

[aquahead2001]

Originally Posted by Cobra

I guess there's no plan to slot a V6 in there?

I reckon it may end up in the USA supplied versions.

I assume that the manufacture will be along the lines of the past, Thailand (& South Africa) for the rest of the world version and the USA for it's own.

I doubt that the "Chicken Tax" will ever be repealed so to sell light commercials in the states, means manufacture in Nortrh America.

See here for further reading:

http://blogs.edmunds.com/straightlin...icken-tax.html

http://www.thestalwart.com/the_stalw...protectio.html

[XR Martin]

I fail to see why its getting bigger, IMO the Ranger is already a good size, any bigger and it would be F150 size, and weight. And then they plan to power it with a 4cyl?

[peachey80]

There seems to be quite a bit of blue smoke coming from the back of it.....

[FPV8U]

Originally Posted by XR6_190

Why should they waste time on a V6, when they could go for the 4.0L Inline 6? Since it's being developed out here anyway

if they drop the 4.0L I6 in these, that could spell the death of the Falcon ute.

The biggest reasons im pushing for a Falcon for my next ute is..

1) Made in Australia.
2) Powered by the 4.0L I6 meaning comfortable towing, Ect.

[YOOT]

Originally Posted by XR6 Martin

I fail to see why its getting bigger, IMO the Ranger is already a good size, any bigger and it would be F150 size, and weight. And then they plan to power it with a 4cyl?

Isn't this update designed to bring it inline with the Hilux and Navara? Are you saying the Hilux/Navara are F-150 in size?

[Falcon Coupe]

Originally Posted by FPV8U

if they drop the 4.0L I6 in these, that could spell the death of the Falcon ute.

The biggest reasons im pushing for a Falcon for my next ute is..

1) Made in Australia.
2) Powered by the 4.0L I6 meaning comfortable towing, Ect.

IMO there is an untapped market in the duel cab range, the only reason i bought a diesel is there is no factory lpg option on any of them, the I6 could easily change that.
I believe the addition would take more sales away from other brands dual cab range rather than the Falcon ute.

Another positive would be Aus made engines in the ranger.

[StealthAu]

Originally Posted by YOOT

Isn't this update designed to bring it inline with the Hilux and Navara? Are you saying the Hilux/Navara are F-150 in size?

I have an '08 Ranger dual cab 4x4 work car, seems the same size (or a fraction bigger) as the equiv hilux's I've had in past, having said that the most recent one I've had would of been an 02 or 03 model so they might of grown since then.

And as far as the spy shots go, I hope it isn't the new Ranger, ugly crap like that deserves a Toyota badge

[sfr rob]

We will be considering one of these when they arrive, as long as there will be a decent diesel / turbo petrol 'performance' variant to replace our '08 diesel Navara.

[S3SR]

i see they also made the rear headrest removable.... amazing they do read the comments section on the survery we fill out

also looks like a few changes to the front end in regards to intercooler mounting

[S3SR]

Originally Posted by XR6 Martin

I fail to see why its getting bigger, IMO the Ranger is already a good size, any bigger and it would be F150 size, and weight. And then they plan to power it with a 4cyl?

have you seen it up against an F150? the F truck dwarfs it

the 4cyl diesel engine has enough power when you consider what 2tonnes maybe that can get to 70-80 quicker than most cars on the street and still haul at speed with a load on the back or towing something

i welcome the wider bigger body... it is big enough as it is, but if they can improve incabin size, track and wheelbase hell yeah! all i want is an option for a more powerful diesel engine... GXL V8 turbo please i use the right amount of fuel to own one :P

[R-Design]

By the looks of it they’ve really got the Hilux in their sights with this new model. I wonder if the Aussie Engineered / Thai Build combination will win over traditional Toyota buyers.

I also wonder if the new “Aussie Designed” single cab 4x2 will have an effect on Falcon Ute sales. If it does it could clear the way to a FWD Falcon or the adoption of a global large car FWD platform. I’m sure Ford will monitor this closely as commercials account for around 20-25% of Falcon’s total production.

[Transit Truck]

Up the towing capacity on the auto...

[XR Martin]

Theres not that much of a difference between Ranger and Hilux is size. In the article they are talking about the new one having an extra 4in of width?

Ranger Twincab:

Width: 1788mm
Height: 1755mm
Length: 5179mm

Hilux Twincab:

Width: 1835mm w/ 7in rim and 255 tyres,
......... 1760mm w/ 6in rims and 205 tyres)
Height: 1820mm
Length: 5255mm

F150 Twincab

Width: 2004mm
Height: 1935mm
Length: 5885mm (5.5ft tray)


No obviously the F150 is a size above the others, but if you upsize the Ranger too much it will get too close to the F150, and wont sell where it needs to sell (the US)

[aquahead2001]

Originally Posted by XR6 Martin

I fail to see why its getting bigger, IMO the Ranger is already a good size, any bigger and it would be F150 size, and weight. And then they plan to power it with a 4cyl?

Funny you should say that. My brother is a good litmus test for cabin size, he's 145kg and 190cm tall, so he's a big lump. He's got a 2005 Rodeo, and he can fit in that well. He's been in a D40 Navara and thinks it's about the same as the Rodeo. He gets in my 2008 Ranger and thinks its just a bit of a squeeze, but has real trouble in the current model Hilux. I've seen him, its like one of those photos of all the Uni Students cramming in a mini!

I've been in the back of the current model Hilux and think it's only marginally bigger than the back of my Ranger, although it does appear wider.

Having driven a few F-150's (previous model not current), I think there is a huge step change on size compared to the bigger mid sized trucks like Navara & Rodeo/D-Max/Colorado, An example is I could comfortably squeeze 4 kids across the back seat of the F-series where three were just comfortable in the Ranger.