The updated Ford Ranger ute and Everest SUV have lost the 2.0-litre, four-cylinder bi-turbo diesel engine which powered many of the best-selling variants of each vehicle.
Announced in November last year, the available diesels will be reduced to the existing single-turbo 3.0-litre V6, as well as a revised single-turbo 2.0-litre four-cylinder, now fitted with an updated fuel injection system and timing chain, rather than its controversial ‘wet belt’.
Ford axed the bi-turbo as it was only fitted to the Ranger and Everest, whereas the single-turbo diesel is also found in the Transit, helping to rationalise development and production costs.
The loss of the bi-turbo has taken away a mid-range option for customers, as the engine produced 154kW and 500Nm, up on the single-turbo’s 125kW and 405Nm, but shy of the V6’s 184kW and 600Nm claims.
However, the single-turbo is now no longer mated to a six-speed automatic transmission, instead upgrading to the 10-speed which is now standard across the Ranger lineup.
Speaking to Australian media at the launch of the MY26.5 Ranger and Everest, Ford Australia marketing director, Ambrose Henderson, said the 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel has so far proven to be the engine of choice over the 3.0-litre V6 following the update.
“From a demand perspective, you might be surprised to know that the cars that had the highest contracting rates – put another way, the cars that had the highest number of orders – coming into this launch, were the cars that had the 2.0-litre engine,” Henderson said.
“I think that’s for a couple of reasons. Firstly, it allows us to expand into those entry price points […], it broadens our portfolio to a larger group of customers.
“But also because it brings with it a bunch of features and refinement that is a step up. The 10 speed automatic transmission that’s now standard across the range is a big step up.”
Phil Millar, in-cycle chief program engineer for the T6 platform which underpins the Ranger and Everest, added the powertrain lineup – particularly for the Ranger ute – remains class-leading.
“There’s a whole raft of things going on here, and one of the key ones is global footprint rationalisation,” Millar said.
“This is an engine and a powertrain which is used across Transit and Ranger, and then have that global commonisation of the footprint, which allows things like the [timing] chain drive, the [new] injection system, and the quality is really at the forefront of everything we do.
“The connectedness of this powertrain is something that the other powertrains don’t have, and then having the choice. You look across what we offer: the V6, the hybrid, the 2.0-litre in the Ranger [and Everest] portfolio.
“Getting that balance right to offer the customers the best value for money when it comes to how you get into an entry-level product versus the step up in capability, this was the right balance for Ranger.”
In the Ranger, prices for the 2.0-litre are largely unchanged or up $700 compared to the old single-turbo, or down by as much as $3700 against the bi-turbo.
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