Teasers of the new Ford Ranger are coming in thick and fast and the latest batch of teaser images show the new Ranger doing off-road testing.

The next-generationRanger, which will be produced in South Africa at Ford’s upgraded Silverton facility, is due for reveal before the end of 2021.

Ford is regularly releasing teasers of the next-generation Ranger ahead of its official reveal so you can expect to see a few more teasers in the near future.

Latest Teaser: Rugged Testing for new Ford Ranger

The next Ford Ranger is currently undergoing severe testing to meet quality standards to be sold in over 180 markets worldwide.

Double-cab bakkies, by nature, are required to be tough and durable. It’s no surprise then that Ford is going all out to make sure that the next-generation Ranger is tougher than ever before. In fact, Ford says that the new Ranger has been “Built from the ground up to be the toughest, smartest, most versatile and most capable Ranger yet, the truck is being subjected to more physical and virtual testing than ever before.”

“It’s important that our customers are able to rely on Ranger to deliver years of dependable service. So, we’ve gone to great lengths to subject next-gen Ranger to extreme tests – stressing it much more than a typical consumer would – to help ensure it is ready to face everything life throws at it. Whether it’s tackling muddy bush tracks, coping with the rigours of extreme tropical weather, towing over alpine passes, or enduring temperatures of more than 50° Celsius, Ranger has to do it all,”saidJohn Willems, Ford Ranger Chief Program Engineer.

To date, the new Ranger’s testing regime all over the world has covered over 10 000 km of desert testing which Ford says is the equivalentto 1.25 million kilometres of customer driving and 625 000 km of rugged offroad durability testing at maximum load capacity.

In addition to real-world testing, Ranger prototypes are also subjected to extensive computer simulations and lab simulations to cover critical areas of development such as aerodynamics and component and structure durability.

“Computer simulations have helped us speed up development, while lab testing has helped us refine and test specific components – but there really is no replacement for real-world testing to really see how it stands up to years of customer use,” Willems explains.

The Ranger will be sold in more than 180 markets globally and rigorous testing ensures that the final product is up to scratch when it finally reaches customers.

“Our job as engineers is to translate the customer experience insights into a clear product definition brief for the engineering group, which becomes the absolute reference for engineers. This is particularly important for the Ranger, given we are developing it to be sold across the globe,” Willems concluded.

Previously: Camouflaged Ranger Hits the Streets

This teaser shows the new Ranger dressed in a “Bronco R-inspired block-style camouflage” designed by Lee Imrie (Ranger Exterior Designer), incorporating optic science to mask key design secrets and reflective elements means that the Ranger will also be visible at night as it conducts road tests in public spaces. The camouflage also incorporates a QR code.

“Inspiration for the camo originally came from the Baja livery Ford has been using. I’m a huge fan of motorsport and it’s hard not to be obsessed with machinery like that. Because the Ranger is strong and rugged looking, I felt the scattered block design would be a natural fit to help break up the exterior surfaces. When you stand back, the camo has a clear connection to a digitized military-style livery with a connection to nature that echoes the lifestyle orientation of the Ranger” says Imrie.

New Ranger Shows its Face

The image you see here was publishedon theRanger6g forum and it clearly shows the front-end of the new Ranger for the first time. The face of the forthcoming Ranger is very similar to that of the Ford Maverickwhich was revealed earlier this year. Like the Maverick, the grille is split with a single bar that extends into the large C-shaped headlights. With this look, the new Ranger will be more closely aligned to Ford’s latest American pickup designs which is a smart move considering how smitten South Africans are with products such as the F-150.

Let us know if you like what you see and look out for more information on the new Ranger coming soon!

Take a look at what you can expect from the new Ford Ranger here!

Buy a used Ford Ranger on Cars.co.za

In the market for a new double-cab 4×4 bakkie? Take a look at our Double-Cab 4×4 Bakkie Buyer’s Guide (2021).

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