Ford Ranger XL Super Cab Pickup

Open Sesame!

Three body styles are available in Ford's new Ranger series of 4x2 and 4x4 pickup trucks with the Single Cab, Super Cab and Crew Cab - a pretty standard line-up. But, it's the Super Cab in the middle that has undergone a significant redesign, now reconfigured to fully utilise the extra space behind the front seats.

Extended cabs have been around for a while and are not specific to any one manufacturer. They basically offer not much more than a bit of extra room behind the front seats than a Single Cab and with no improvement to access.

Ford, though, has taken the concept a step further by introducing the Rear Access System.

This Super Cab feature has two forward-opening front doors and two access panels that open towards the rear, creating the largest possible opening to the cabin. This system provides excellent access for occupants and for stowing large, awkward cargo, Ford claim.

Ford designed the revolutionary opening because research among customers and truck owners identified a need to carry large objects too delicate or valuable to be exposed to the weather. Ford said the Super Cab also offers a larger pickup box than the Crew Cab.

The new Ranger line-up replaces the Courier range that Ford introduced back in 1978. The Ranger's will also be powered by two new twin-cam turbo-diesel engines featuring common-rail direct fuel injection.

Ford says the new 16-valve 2.5lt and 3.0lt four-cylinder Duratorq engines are quiet and offer greater performance, improved fuel economy and lower emissions over the Couriers.

The company has introduced a variable geometry turbocharger to these motors which it claims has significantly reduced turbo lag and broadens the torque curve for smoother and faster acceleration.

Ford claim that towing loads is a breeze with the 2.5lt engine, which delivers maximum power of 105kW at 3500rpm and an 330Nm of torque at 1800rpm.

When compared with the previous Courier models, the new 2.5lt diesel boasts an extra 22 per cent more torque at 200 fewer revs and 28 per cent more power, while fuel economy has also improved.

The 3.0lt engine produces 380Nm of torque - a leap of 40 percent over the Courier's 2.5lt engine - at 1800rpm, while maximum power is also up 40 per cent with 115kW at 3200rpm.

While both engines develop peak torque at 1800rpm, 90 per cent of this maximum is available from 1400rpm.

At the same time as producing substantially more power, the new 2.5lt engine is more fuel efficient and cleaner burning than the 2.5lt turbo-diesel engine in the previous Courier model. It delivers 14.4 per cent better fuel economy and achieves a fuel-consumption rate of 8.3lt per 100km in a 4x2 Single Cab.

Despite its bigger capacity and increase in performance, the fuel-efficiency of the 3.0lt engine (manual) is even more amazing, according to Ford, with fuel economy 8.9 per cent better than the 2.5lt Courier.

The Ranger also features an all-new five-speed automatic transmission, available as an option across selected 4x2 and 4x4 models fitted with the 3.0lt powertrain.

ABS brakes are standard on Ranger XLT models and, where ABS is fitted, added stopping power is provided by electronic brake-force distribution (EBD), which adjusts the braking bias front-to-rear for optimum braking power.

» Click here for CarPoint's road test comparison on the Ford Ranger XL Crew Cab 4X4 and XLT Super Cab 4X4

» Click here for CarPoint's further news & reviews articles on the Ford Ranger range

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