An Extreme Ranger on the Way
During the KL International Motorshow last year, Ford Malaysia displayed a macho-looking version of its popular Ranger. At that time, the company said it was just a styling exercise being done by Tickford Asia-Pacific, an Australian design consultancy better known for turning standard Fords into tyre-burners. However, Ford Malaysia was actually keen to obtain feedback from the public about the aggressive-looking style.
Well, the response must have been very positive and enthusiastic because the vehicle – known as the ‘Extreme’ – will be made available to the public within 6 ~ 8 weeks. It’s taken over a year to put it into production due to some issues concerning localisation of parts.
No mechanical differences will be found in the Extreme compared to the Ranger as the Extreme was essentially developed to offer a vehicle with a ‘distinctive attitude’. As the first official picture of the vehicle shows, the Tickford team has given the front end a very bold look with blacked-out headlight units and prominent wheelarch flares, painted silver to make them really stand out. There’s also a prominent intake scoop on the bonnet but this is probably for looks more than anything else as the turbodiesel’s intercooler is down at bumper level.
What isn’t so evident in the picture but which was talked about at the motorshow is the metal cover for the rear bed. It flips up when open and can be locked down, providing a huge ‘boot’ that is secure.
It is likely that the Extreme will be available in any colour you want as long as it’s black (old Henry would be delighted that his cost-saving philosophy lives on today!). Actually, black Rangers are not new as a black Splash has been available as an alternative to the yellow one since April this year.
“The Extreme is a natural progression for the Ranger series. At Ford, it is our philosophy to meet the demands of our customers with as many options as we can. The Ranger evolution has occurred because of this commitment to the customers. We are always talking to customers to find out what their needs are; based on their feedback, the Extreme was the next step,” said Deborah Aronson, Managing Director of Ford Malaysia.
Ms Aronson said that when the prototype Extreme was displayed at the motorshow, the was ‘unprecedented’. “Having built the pick-up truck culture here, Ford Malaysia had expected some interest – but not to the extent that was shown,” she added.
“The Extreme will attract those who want aggressive styling and still stay true to the values of the Ranger. With the same powertrain, the Extreme comes with a host of exciting new features that give customers a whole new series of options,” added T.H. Chong, Marketing Manager of Ford Malaysia. “This sort of customization has been a hallmark of the Ford brand and we believe the Malaysian market is very much ready for options like this”.
From what AUTOWORLD.COM.MY understands, the Extreme is unique to Malaysia and no other countries in the region are presently expected to have it.
