‘Anything is possible.’
That was the message from the Ford Australia team when asked about the possibility of an Everest SUV version of the newly-launched Ranger Super Duty. The blue oval ripped the covers off the bigger, tougher, stronger Ranger recently, as part of its centenary celebrations, but with its imposing presences and impressive stats the inevitable question was asked – could the Super Duty treatment be applied to the closely-related Everest SUV?
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Todd Willing and Max Wolff run Ford’s global and regional design, respectively, and were the ones facing the questions. Willing waited for a telling few moments before he delivered his carefully worded answer.
“It was recognised need that drove [Ranger Super Duty],” said the man responsible for the Ford Territory and GT supercar. “If that existed for another body style or derivative then that would be [possible].”
He then added: “We don’t build stuff for folks that aren’t asking for it.”
Wolff, the former Holden designer who now helps shape Ford’s future, gave a similar response.
“If there became a market need for an Everest Super Duty and we could make a business case then anything is possible,” Wolff said.
“I would say for the moment the need is for the Super Duty Ranger and that is what we have delivered and we have delivered that in spades.”
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So, while hardly a confirmation, both designers made it clear that if Ford felt there was demand for a more muscular version of the Everest, potentially to give the Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series a serious headache, then there is scope in the design to build such a vehicle.
Certainly the Ford Australia team did a significant amount of work on the design and engineering of the Ranger Super Duty in order to enhance its capabilities and ensure it will appeal to fleet buyers in the toughest industries in Australia. Maximising that investment by spreading across the Everest range, particualarly given the demand for heavy-duty, off-road-capable SUVs in Australia, seems like a golden opportunity for Ford.
The Ranger Super Duty is a major step up from the standard model, with a major overhaul of the chassis and suspension to ensure it offers a 4500kg towing capacity, 4500kg gross vehicle mass (GVM) and an 8000kg gross combined mass. There’s also a 130-litre long-range fuel tank, protected by steel shielding, as well as other underbody protection.
The Super Duty is powered by Ford’s 3.0-litre V6 turbo diesel engine, which has been engineered to meet future emissions requirements, ensuring this new model has a future in both Australia and other markets around the world.
What do you think – should Ford build an Everest Super Duty?
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