Two Ford best-sellers steal Bangkok Auto Show

In Thailand, more pickup trucks are sold than anywhere else in the world except the United States. So naturally, Ford Motor Co. chose the Bangkok International Auto Show last month to reveal the newest iterations of its best-selling global pickup, the Ranger and the sport utility vehicle based on it, the Everest.

 

Given the truck-crazy venue, Ford’s double-barreled “reveal” stole the show and attracted a bigger crowd than the presentations of other car manufacturers. Never mind that a German premium car manufacturer whose large pavilion was located right beside Ford’s preceded Ford’s presentation and produced a dazzling extravaganza with futuristically clad dancers and acrobats performing high up in the air and onstage amid its cars.

 

In contrast, Ford’s presentation was dramatic in its simplicity. A shiny dark blue 4×4 Ranger was driven down a ramp into and through an artificial pond of water on stage, then parked stage right. After the usual spiels about the new Ranger, it was the Everest’s turn to make its Asean debut at stage left.

 

CARS AS STARS. As Ford Philippines managing director Kay Hart said, “At Ford, our cars are our stars.” Ever gracious, informative and friendly, Hart accompanied the Philippine media group to Bangkok.

 

Aside from Hart, Ford’s top brass in the region were present: Ford Asia-Pacific vice president for marketing, sales and service Brett Wheatley, who spoke about the new look and new technologies of the 2015-16 Ranger; Ford Asean president Matt Bradley; Ford Everest and Ford Ranger global chief program engineer Ian Foston; Ford vehicle line director Richard Tilley; Ford Asia-Pacific exterior design manager David Dewitt; and Ford Thailand managing director Yukontorn “Vickie” Wisadkosin, who introduced the all-new Everest.

 

The made-in-Thailand Everest will be launched at the 11th Manila International Auto Show (MIAS) which opens tomorrow, April 9, while the new Ranger XLT will be rolled out later this year, followed by the WildTrak variant.

 

Aside from Thailand, the Ranger is manufactured in South Africa and Argentina and sold in 180 countries worldwide except the United States, where Ford’s F-150 is the best-selling vehicle overall. The Ranger is the best-selling pickup in the Philippines, New Zealand (Kay Hart’s home country), Cambodia, Vietnam and Myanmar. Global sales of the Ranger in 2014 increased 20 percent over 2013, with 50,000 units sold in the Asean alone.

 

TRUCK WARS. This year has been dubbed the truck wars year in the Philippines because of the recent rollout of all-new models such as the Nissan Navara and the Mitsubishi Strada, to be followed soon by the Ford Ranger and possibly the Toyota Hi-Lux. In the face of renewed competition out to grab market share, will the Ranger be able to maintain pole position?

 

Ford is confident that its tougher, smarter and more efficient Ranger will still lead the way. Ford Asia-Pacific VP Wheatley told the audience at the Bangkok auto show that the new Ranger brings a new level of comfort and refinement to its segment without compromising on the rugged capability that Ford customers demand. “It represents a smarter kind of tough and will help our customers to achieve more, whether at work or with their families.”

 

For starters, the Ranger’s exterior has been updated for a bold, more aggressive look with a more muscular hood, a strong new trapezoidal grille and imposing projector headlights that immediately convey powerful road presence and a sense of capability, said Ford Asia Pacific exterior design manager David Dewitt.

 

“It’s important to our customers that a Ranger looks and functions as a tough, dependable tool,” Dewitt added. Ford gave the design extra tension and emphasized Built Ford Tough design elements like the outboard nostrils while maintaining the Ranger’s excellent aerodynamics.

 

OFFROAD MASTERY. The 4×4 Ranger retains its offroad mastery with 230 mm of ground clearance, ability to wade through water 800 mm deep, a 28-degree approach angle, and a 25-degree departure angle. An electronically controlled transfer case allows the driver to easily shift on the fly from 4×2 to 4×4 high with a knob on the center console.

 

The low-range 4×4 gearing can also be engaged for low-speed torque or additional downhill braking, while an electronic locking rear differential locks the rear axle to help prevent the rear wheels from spinning and increases traction in challenging offroad conditions.

 

The Ranger can tow as much as 3,500 kg. Unlike the NP300 Nissan Navara, which is equipped with a rigid multilink rear suspension, the new Ranger retains its leaf springs rear suspension system to keep the payload capacity its customers expect.

 

As for the new interior, Dewitt said it looks more comfortable and carlike, but remains as practical as ever with attractive but durable materials to handle the harsh life of a work truck, combined with a strong technical aspect. The cockpit is dominated by a central eight-inch touchscreen and a new dual-TFT instrument cluster that provides the driver with infotainment, navigation and climate controls at a glance.

 

CONNECTED. Sync2, Ford’s in-dash connectivity system using Microsoft software, enables the driver to control functions with voice commands. Ford is currently developing Sync3 at a new research center in Palo Alto, California that should minimize the occasional glitches of Sync2. The new system uses software from QNX, a Canadian software systems company.

 

Bluetooth, two USB ports, SD-card slot, 3.5 mm Aux input, and a 240-volt power socket are standard equipment. As Wheatley said, smart technology that is only found in passenger cars is being offered in the new Ranger.

 

The new Ranger is loaded with eight driver assistance technologies: Forward Alert with Collision Mitigation, Electronic Stability Control and Rollover Mitigation, Lane Keeping Alert and Lane Keeping Aid, Adaptive Cruise Control, Trailer Sway Control, Rear View Camera, Front and Rear Park Assist, and Tire Pressure Monitoring System.

 

POWERTRAINS. Three engines are available: for heavy-duty towing, the 3.2-liter, five-cylinder Duratorq TDCI diesel engine producing 147 kW of power and 470 Nm max torque; the 2.2-liter, four-cylinder Duratorq diesel engine delivering 118 kW of power and 385 Nm of torque; and the 2.5-liter, four-cylinder Duratec petrol engine providing 122 kW of power and 225 Nm of torque.

 

Automatic Stop/Start Technology when the vehicle is idling can save fuel by up to 3.5 percent, while at highway speeds, a longer final drive ratio also boosts fuel economy. Electric Power Assisted Steering (Epas) not only makes the new Ranger quieter, it makes steering light and manageable for low-speed maneuvering such as parking and more precise at higher speeds.

 

No details were given about the new Ranger’s safety features, but the Everest brochure distributed in Bangkok claims that the SUV will have seven airbags: front, side, curtain and knee airbags. This is no guarantee that the Everest to be launched tomorrow at MIAS and sold in the Philippines afterwards will also have seven airbags.

 

But that’s another story for the near future. In the meantime, viewing the new Everest tomorrow at MIAS will give you a good idea of what its twin, the yet-to-be-launched tougher, smarter Ranger in the Philippines will be like.