XL 4WD Double Cab Chassis Ranger Boosts Range

IMMEDIATE RELEASE

XL 4WD Double Cab Chassis Ranger Boosts Range To 20 Variants

AUCKLAND, New Zealand, 26 August 2008

Ford New Zealand has added to its comprehensive Ranger offering with a XL Four Wheel Drive Double Cab Chassis. This addition boosts the Ranger line-up to 20 build combinations.

Primarily targeted at the rural community, the XL 4WD Double cab chassis has the capacity to carry five passengers with the utility and flexibility of a drop side, flat deck body. The cab chassis allows ease of use and access, as it's not confined by the structures of the popular wellside body.

"The Ranger XL 4WD Double Cab Chassis is perfect for those who need a hard working, user friendly Flat Deck every day but also need to transport more than two people," says Richard Matheson, Managing Director of Ford New Zealand.

"It brings to the table Ranger's superior drivability, handling and load carrying capacity while also offering comfort, convenience and space."

Priced at $47,090 +ORC and deck, this hardworking vehicle is about performance and power to get the job done. Available in manual transmission only, the 3.0litre four cylinder Duratorq engine offers refinement matched with great performance, good fuel economy and low emissions. A variable geometry turbocharger virtually eliminates turbo lag, provides a user-friendly torque curve and promotes smoother and faster acceleration.

The 3.0l engine produces a thumping 380 Nm of torque at 1800rpm and 115kW of power at 3200rpm. The engine produces more torque than most rivals from idle to 3200rpm with 90 percent of maximum torque available from just 1400rpm.

This power does not come at the cost of fuel efficiency with the XL 4WD Cab Chassis offering a competitive 9.2l/100km.

Ranger's rear suspension, carefully tuned for improved ride and handling, has been strengthened to support the vehicles class-leading hauling and towing capabilities with longer leaf springs and a new stabilizer bar. The Ranger is one of the most capable vehicles in its class with a maximum payload of one tonne and the ability to tow up to 3.0 tonnes.

As with all Ford product, safety and security were top of mind during development. This vehicle boasts driver and passenger front and side airbags, side intrusion beams, four wheel ABS brakes with EBD and passive anti-theft System (PATS).

Comfort and convenience are also catered for with power windows, power mirrors, power door locks with remote central locking, air conditioning and a 12 volt DC accessory socket that allows you to charge your mobile phone or run a laptop, convenient and clever stowage solutions all included in this vehicle.

Featuring the more rigid chassis and tougher more durable suspension introduced in the Ranger in 2007 enhance this vehicles off-roading credentials. Wide track, superb ground clearance and excellent approach, departure and ramp-over angles are designed to negotiate the roughest terrain including steep hills and deep ruts. High-torque performance, mated to a robust 4x4 transfer case and fed to the road through larger wheels and all-terrain tyres, provide the extra traction needed to take customers anywhere – and get them back safely.

"This Ranger offers the best of both worlds – dependable, accessible and versatile Monday to Friday with room and comfort for the whole family on the weekends. The 20th addition to our Ranger line-up offers all this and the practicality of a 4 wheel drive cab chassis – it’s a beauty," says Matheson.

Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles in 200 markets across six continents. With about 260,000 employees and about 100 plants worldwide, the company’s core and affiliated automotive brands include Ford, Lincoln, Mercury, Volvo and Mazda. For more information regarding Ford’s products, please visit www.fordvehicles.com.

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