Ford brings back Ranger FX4
It doesn’t seem all that long ago, but when Ford first offered an ‘FX4’ package on their Ranger dual-cab ute, the aftershocks of the closure of their Australian manufacturing operations were still being felt and Holden and Toyota manufacturing plants in this country were still in operation.
Now, close to 24 months later, Ford has announced that the FX4 will return in a style inspired by the first example from 2017.
“The addition of the new Ranger FX4 to our line up really steps things up for customers,” said Ford Australia and New Zealand President and CEO, Kay Hart. “The upgraded Ranger FX4 brings all the capability of the XLT, including standard AEB with Pedestrian Detection, and adds its very own design elements and features, to offer Ranger customers even more choice.”
Blacked Out, Built Up
The new FX4 takes a similar styling route to the first version, with blackout grille and trim parts, its own alloy wheels and an upgraded interior.
Based on the Ranger XLT grade and only available with a dual-cab pickup body, the FX4 spec starts with body accents in Ebony Black – grille surround and mesh grille insert, mirror caps, front guard vents, door handles, fender trim and tailgate handle.
A black extended sports bar is fitted, there’s a protective bedliner and the standard Bi-LED headlights get smoked lenses.
Exclusive to the FX4 is a special design of 18-inch alloy wheel, in black of course, with identifying FX4 badges added to the front doors and tailgate.
Inside, the seating, including the sports bucket front seats, gets leather-accented trim, with contrast Race Red stitching front and rear. The front seats also get FX4 identification embossed into the uprights.
Race Red contrast stitching has also been applied to the gear shifter and handbrake boots, steering wheel, dash trim, door cards and FX4-branded floot mats.
The instrument gets a black ‘soft top’ treatment inspired by the Wildtrak, while a Tinted Graphite finish features on the dash and door tops.
Road Focus, Engine Options
The original Ranger FX4 was pitched as an off-road-specific model, with retuned shock absorbers, underbody protection and an electronic locking diff for off-road work, as well as hill descent control. The new version, while retaining four-wheel drive, gets none of these and is essentially a décor/performance package, pitched as a (presumably) lower-priced alternative to the Wildtrak.
What the new FX4 will get that the previous version didn’t is a choice of driveline, with the standard 3.2-litre five-cylinder turbodiesel able to be optioned out for the 2.0-litre ‘Bi-Turbo’ twin-turbo diesel four-cylinder used in the Ranger Raptor.
Engine choice determines transmission availability, with the 3.2 offered with a six-speed manual or six-speed auto, while the 2.0 twin turbo is only available with the ten-speed auto.
Outputs are unchanged in FX4 spec, with the 3.2 delivering 147kW / 470Nm and the 2.0 twin turbo delivering 157kW / 500Nm maximums.
Maximum tow ratings are 3,500kg (braked) with either powerplant, while the payload varies from 960kg with the 3.2 auto (978kg with manual) to 993kg with the 2.0 twin turbo.
Standard Tech
The upcoming FX4 carries all the same driver-assistance tech as the XLT it’s based on, with auto high-beam headlights, traffic sign recognition, lane-keeping aid, lane departure warning with driver alert, AEB with pedestrian detection and a full-colour reversing camera.
An optional Tech Pack adds adaptive cruise control and active park assist semi-autonomous parallel parking.
The FX4 instrument panel is fully digital and Ford’s SYNC3 infotainment system is standard, with voice-activated sat nav, and standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone compatibility.
The Ranger FX4 is yet to be ANCAP tested, but with the current range getting the maximum five-star safety rating, this will presumably apply to the FX4, too.
December Arrival
Due to arrive with the rest of the 2020 Ranger lineup this December as a 1,000-unit limited-edition, pricing on the 2020 Ranger FX4 has yet to be revealed, but expect a premium over the current Ranger XLT 3.2 manual’s starting list price of $55,990, with a $60K price likely. By comparison, the Ranger MY19 Wildtrak 3.2 starts at $63,290, with the same model fitted with the 2.0 twin-turbo listing for $64,790.
