Driver appears to care not that his car is brand-spanking-new.
Despite our love-affair with utes, Thailand is widely considered to be the kingdom of trucks, thanks to tax breaks afforded to utes as well as the fact that so many manufacturers have their production facilities there. So it comes as no surprise that the upcoming facelift Ford Ranger has been spotted pottering about in the Kingdom, brazenly in the sun without a single shred of camouflage on it.
It’s been reported previously that the Ranger and related Everest SUV will receive minor updates this year, to include better active safety technology and perhaps even an updated powertrain. It was no secret that mild aesthetic tweaks were planned for the updated model, and it’s those aesthetic tweaks that we’ve had a peek at.
These photos, uploaded to Facebook, shows a familiar blue Ranger driving around without registration plates. Look closer, and it reveals itself to be the new Ranger with an updated fascia, new headlights (this time with LED daytime running lights), and a reprofiled front bumper. The biggest change is from the grille, which is now less gaping and more streamlined in appearance, making it look more sophisticated.
Those of you with telephoto lenses for eyes would have also noticed the new Ranger also has little black buttons on the door handles, suggesting a keyless entry system. From that, we can also assume that the Ranger will also get push-button start, a feature that’s been missing from the lauded ute lineup since its inception.
What we can’t see from these images is what’s under the bonnet. The 2018 Ranger is expected to bring with it a new 10-speed automatic gearbox, though the engines are assumed to soldier on unchanged. There is talk however of a small 2.0-litre turbodiesel unit making its entrance with the refresh, taking the place of the 2.2-litre mill we’re all familiar with, though this remains unconfirmed at this juncture. The Ranger Raptor will also make its debut with the 2018 model year, and you can read more on that here.
Performance improvements on the 3.2-litre engine are also tipped for the refresh, though it remains to be seen just how far those improvements will go.
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