Ford says the new Ranger Super Duty will be well suited to Australian customers - including farmers – once it arrives Down Under next year
Australian farmers need strength and durability from every machine they rely on – including their choice of vehicle.
Ford’s new Ranger Super Duty is delivering just that, having been put through a “torture test” during development to ensure it can repeatedly handle the toughest of jobs in any environment.
It is set to arrive in Australia next year, with a variety of chassis and trim configurations available to suit individual needs.
Across the board, the Ford Ranger Super Duty boasts numbers which allude to its workhorse nature – with a 4,500kg gross vehicle mass, 4,500kg maximum braked towing and 8,000kg gross combined mass.
Describing the Ranger as being commercial grade but consumer friendly, Ford says plenty of work has been undertaken to ensure it can handle tough environments such as those experienced by Australian farmers.
“We torture test our trucks to earn the name Super Duty,” Ford Motor Company vice president Jim Baumbick says.
“For instance, to make sure Ranger Super Duty is ready for almost any work environment, we created an even tougher mud pack test to simulate mine work.
“Ranger Super Duty had to continue working, even with 600 kilograms of mud stuck to the bottom of the truck.”
Additional testing took place at Ford’s You Yangs Proving Ground in Victoria, with autonomous driving robots being used to run 24/7 tests and simulating driving down a rocky dry riverbed.
Ford’s usual durability tests also took place, which include 24/7 corrosion baths, towing dynos, shaker rig testing, extreme real-world off-roading, and more low-speed, low-range heavy load driving.
Engineers also ensured the differential, transmission, fuel and transfer case breathers are all mounted high, while the Ranger Super Duty has an improved water wading depth compared to other diesel Ranger variants.
There are six selectable drive modes – normal, eco, tow/haul, mud/ruts, sand and rock crawl.
“Extensive testing in controlled and real-world situations proved Ranger Super Duty has the capability needed for all manner of user from emergency services to farmers and recreational off-roaders,” Ford Australia chief program engineer Dave Burn says.
Feature packed
While Ford’s Ranger Super Duty offers the strength and ruggedness which Australian farmers require, it is not the only aspect in which it excels.
It can tow more than any other factory-built mid-size pickup, the manufacturer says, while it includes a recalibrated integrated trailer brake controller and Ford’s Pro-Trailer Backup Assist that makes backing up as easy as turning a dial, with a yaw rate sensor helping to automatically manage the trailer angle.
The Ranger Super Duty is also the first instance where Ford’s Smart Hitch and Onboard Scales feature on a Ranger.
Smart Hitch helps customers better understand the weight on their vehicle’s towball and how to adjust the trailer load to ensure optimum load distribution, while the Onboard Scales help customers estimate their payload and is assisted by sensors mounted in the suspension of all four wheels.
It runs a stronger front and rear driveshaft, and a new heavy-duty rear axle provides enhanced load carry capacity.
Ford says the new rear differential is the biggest and strongest to ever be fitted to a production Ranger, while eight-stud wheel hubs with larger bolts help to spread the load.
A reinforced frame and readily accessible mounting points make it easy to integrate a variety of aftermarket accessories and specialised equipment.
“These enhancements are key to Ranger Super Duty being able to carry and tow bigger loads than any other factory-built mid-size pickup,” Burn says.
“These larger, stronger components improve vehicle durability and reliability which is something we know our customers will appreciate.”
While its overall chassis dimensions are the same as the Ranger, the unique frame has been engineered to be thicker, and therefore provide increased strength, performance and load carrying capacity.
The Ranger Super Duty’s underbelly has a series of high-strength steel bash plates to protect everything from the engine, front differential and transfer case, transmission and fuel tank.
“With enhanced capability and developed for hard work, we know Ranger Super Duty will be pushed to the limits on some of the toughest terrain on the planet,” Burn says.
“That’s why we made sure the underneath had high strength protection.”
Complete capability
Ford’s Ranger Super Duty is built for exactly what farmers need.
Its 3L, turbo diesel V6 engine is calibrated for heavy-duty emissions standards while improved cooling ensures optimum temperature management under load and during sustained off-roading in difficult terrain such as Australian farms.
Equipped with Ford’s advanced four-wheel drive system, it comes with automatic 4WD as the permanent setting.
Ford says this ensures the Ranger Super Duty always delivers the maximum amount of torque to provide enhanced traction and control on both high and low grip surfaces and under load.
Front and rear locking differentials are standard features, which is something Burn says will help it to stack up well in tough Australian conditions.
“We’ve tested Ranger Super Duty in extreme conditions where a vehicle with open differentials would have become stuck and unable to proceed but thanks to a locking front and rear differential and an enhanced low-range gearset and a host of other off-road capability improvements, Ranger Super Duty performed flawlessly,” he says.
“The capability of Ranger Super Duty is unmatched in the mid-sized truck segment.
“It really is the sum of all its parts and we’re confident that whether your job is extreme or you’re an adventurer who likes to go a long way off the beaten track, Ranger Super Duty will get you there and back again.”
Ford’s new Ranger Super Duty will be available as either a single, super or double cab chassis from its Australian launch in 2026.
It will also be available as a double cab with style-side box in mid-2026.
The Ranger Super Duty will be available in two trim levels – Ranger Super Duty and Ranger Super Duty XLT.
The latter will be arriving in mid-2026 and is designed for those who need refined long-distance capability.
Ford says this variant will boast unique alloy wheels and touring-focussed upgrades and will be exclusively available on double cab chassis and pick-up variants only.
For more information about the Ranger Super Duty, visit www.ford.com.au