2019 Ford Ranger Undergoes Durability Testing in New Video

Ford will start production on the revived Ranger later this year before it goes on sale in early 2019. In the meantime, Ford is out to prove the truck will be able to hold its own on unforgiving terrain, with heavy loads, and in extreme temperatures.

In this new video, the 2019 Ford Ranger undergoes several tests. The pickup travels to Davis Dam in Arizona to show off its towing abilities on long steep grades. In Australia, where design and engineering work on the truck took place, the Ranger sweats it out in the Outback. Back at home at Ford’s Michigan Proving Grounds, the Ranger tackles extremely rough surfaces, so rough that Ford uses robot drivers so humans don’t get injured.

Ford says that the Ranger is held to the same standards as the F-150 when it comes to testing. “We torture every component—from its high-strength steel frame to its EcoBoost engine to its cloth and leather-trimmed seats—to ensure Ranger is ready for any season and nearly any terrain,” said Ford Ranger chief engineer Rick Bolt in a statement.

The Ranger coming to the U.S. is powered by a 2.3-liter twin-scroll turbocharged four-cylinder EcoBoost engine, and output is still unknown. This engine will come paired to Ford’s new 10-speed automatic transmission.

If the standard Ranger is able to handle these brutal tests, we’re interested to see how an off-road-focused version would perform. It’s very possible Ford will bring the Ranger Raptor to the U.S., given that a camouflaged prototype was seen in Oklahoma with the steering wheel on the left-hand side.

Source: Ford

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