- Ranger is equipped with a whole list of smart technologies such as Bluetooth®1 with Voice Control and Rear View Camera System
- The Ranger Double Cab delivers best-in-class leg room and knee clearance in the second row
- Ranger has 23 stowage places – more than any other one-ton pick-up
BRENTWOOD, Essex, 26 October, 2011 – Whether taking the all-new Ford Ranger on a long journey or just around the corner, customers will appreciate the high levels of comfort in the cabin, starting with its spacious interior, the ample stowage space and latest smart technologies that all help make the pick-up easier, safer and more fun to drive.
Ranger has more storage spaces, and more leg room in the second row, than any of its competitors. It has a special deep centre console bin which can store up to six drinks cans and keep them cool in models with a duct from the air-conditioning.
One of the most high-tech vehicles in its segment, Ranger boasts intelligent features such as Bluetooth®1 with Voice Control and a Rear View Camera System, where the camera image is displayed in the rear view mirror.
“Ranger combines true truck capability with a high level of comfort and convenience features,” said Con Papadomanolakis, manager, Electrical Integration, Ford Asia Pacific and Africa. “With the many storage spaces, high levels of craftsmanship and clever technologies, Ranger turns your drive into your cosy home on the road.”
A place for every item
The Ranger Double Cab model boasts 23 stowage spaces in the cabin which can store a wide number and variety of objects. Door pockets can easily accept 1.5 litre bottles, while the glove box is big enough for a 16-in laptop computer. A separate driver’s glove box provides greater accessibility to items such as a can of soft drink, sunglasses or keys. Ample storage for mobile phones and other small items can be found in the console and in areas within easy reach of the driver.
Other than being able to keep beverages cool, the 8.5 litre centre console bin – largest in the segment – is also big enough to hold CDs, 600ml bottles and takeaway food containers. The console bin also has an upper tray to store a mobile phone and coins.
At the back, the rear seats fold up to reveal hidden storage bins for items such as tools, rope or 4×4 recovery straps. The seats also fold down to accommodate a jack, tyre inflator, a one-litre oil bottle and a first aid kit for example. On selected models, the centre armrest in the rear seatback also folds down and includes two cupholders.
“We intentionally went for the biggest spaces wherever we could. Where the competitors fit only smaller bottles, we can fit larger ones,” said David Stanley, package supervisor, Product Development, Ford Australia.
Stanley’s team chased down every spare millimetre in the cabin to deliver class-leading stowage. Instead of succumbing to the easy solution of making something bigger whenever an engineering problem cropped up, they relentlessly squeezed out every millimetre to reduce wasted space.
“We were very passionate over every millimetre,” he added. “That’s the difference between a good truck and a great truck – lots of attention to every last millimetre.”
Stocking up on creature comforts
Select models with the Bluetooth®1 Voice Control system allow drivers to operate their mobile phone, audio system, satellite navigation system and climate control using voice-activated commands – all wirelessly.
The voice control buttons are located on the steering wheel and are conveniently accessible when driving, leaving the driver free to keep their eyes on the road and hands on the wheel. Voice commands are detected by a microphone in the cab.
The driver can easily make or take phone calls and access the mobile’s phone book and calling history. The system can also record voice tags for favourite numbers. In the same way, the driver has effortless control over the radio, CD player, iPod® and other external devices via the USB port. It is also possible to audio stream via Bluetooth from a mobile phone to the Ranger’s audio system, which negates the need for connection leads.
Ranger’s audio system is an integral and unique part of the centre dashboard, effectively deterring theft. The Human Machine Interface on the central control panel is inspired by the latest communication devices, with a joy stick as a central control element and a soft feel number pad to enter phone numbers. The optional in-dash navigation system, integrated with the audio system, provides audio and visual direction to the programmed destination via a five-inch colour screen, along with current location and surrounding details. Maps are stored and upgraded via an SD card.
To further improve interior comfort, the new-to-Ranger dual zone climate control allows the driver and passenger to set separate temperature settings.
“The Bluetooth® Voice Control system sets Ranger apart from other competitors because it keeps the driver safely connected with their customers and business, while being able to enjoy the convenience of their Bluetooth enabled phone and automatic climate control systems while on the road – all with a voice command,” said Papadomanolakis.
Premium comfort and convenience features
New from the ground up, Ranger now utilises a common global electrical architecture that is also shared with the current Ford Focus and Ford Mondeo. This means that engineers are able to use globally developed and engineered components in the all-new Ranger platform, resulting in more new features and technologies in the pick-up, which can be upgraded in the future.
For a start, selected Ranger models will have cruise control, theatre-dimming, drive-away locking, rain-sensing wipers, automatic wiper park, auto defrosting, an electro-chromatic rear view mirror that automatically dims to prevent glare from the lights of following vehicles, and a Thatcham Category 1-rated alarm system complete with interior motion sensors, battery back-up siren and deadlocks.
The list continues with automatic headlights that respond to low light conditions, puddle lights that come on when unlocking the vehicle, Follow-Me-Home safe lights which remain on for a minute after you’ve switched off the engine, and hazard lights that come on to warn the drivers behind of emergency braking action.
When reversing, Ranger’s innovative Rear View Camera System displays the rear view video image in a section of the rear view mirror, along with overlaid marker lines to indicate the width of the vehicle and distance to the closest object. Additionally the system also shows the rear tow ball, making hitching up a trailer much easier. Based on the ultrasonic reverse parking sensors, the radio will beep at a rate proportional to the distance between Ranger and the object. The in-car screen will also display an image of the pick-up with sensor ranges marked behind it. When an object is detected, the display places a solid bar behind the vehicle image to indicate approximate location of the object.
Inside, the new instrument cluster design offers an outstanding array of information. Other than the vehicle system gauges, a central LCD display provides trip computer functions with information such as distance to empty, average fuel consumption, instantaneous fuel consumption, average speed and outside air temperature.
“Customers who are used to these convenience features from their passenger cars will be delighted to find the same – if not higher – level of comfort in Ranger,” said Papadomanolakis.
Creating space all around
From boasting the segment’s biggest front seat head room to leading the pack for rear leg room and knee clearance in the Double Cab, the global Ranger pick-up gives customers maximum interior space without compromising the substantial cargo box volume.
Engineers put a lot of effort into keeping the vehicle short, but occupant space large, by fully utilising Ranger’s dimensions. To achieve its best-in-class front head room of 1,022mm, they squeezed the clearance between the headliner and the sheet metal to the absolute minimum.
Reflecting the anticipated dual usage of the pick-up, engineers also paid special attention to its rear seats. While the second row in the Super Cab is more spacious than key competitors, it’s the rear seats in the Double Cab that truly impress.
Shifting away from the one-door-fits-all approach, Ranger now has a two-door strategy. The Regular Cab and Super Cab share one long front door, while the Double Cab has a separate shorter front door.
With the B-pillar moved forward, the Double Cab delivers best-in-class rear leg room of 902mm and knee clearance of 39mm. This equates to three adults easily fitting into the second row, while two six-footers can comfortably sit one behind the other. The rear ingress and egress are also among the best in the segment.
Another benefit that resulted from moving the B-pillar is that the rear glass is now bigger, which not only helps driver vision, but also gives second-row occupants a much more spacious feeling, due to the greater amount of light that comes in.
The perception of roominess is further enhanced by the B-pillar being further away from the eye. To open up the interior even more, engineers paid close attention to the detail, optimising the pillar size and trim and the blackout on the glass, squeezing them as small as possible.
Ranger is not only spacious, but also has seat back angles that are among the leaders. Some competitors make the rear seats very upright to improve leg and knee room, but with the result that second-row occupants could end up confined by the available knee room.
“We wanted the Ranger to be better than an ordinary pick-up. We wanted it to have the comfort levels of an SUV so we looked at the hip angle, back angle and torso angle to make sure we’ve got it right,” said Stanley.
“Add in smart technology and creature comforts previously seen only in premium passenger cars, and the all-new Ranger is a no-compromise choice for those looking for an all-in-one work and family vehicle.”
