Despite the tough economic climate and the impact it has had on UK and European car sales, Ford is still leading the way in terms of car and commercial vehicle sales.
Mark Ovenden, the recently appointed new managing director for Ford of Britain, confirmed that the Ford Fiesta was the UK’s top selling car in 2011, beating the Ford Focus in second place.
In the commercial vehicle (CV) sector the UK’s top selling model for 2011 was the compact, front wheel drive, Transit van range. In second place, the rear wheel drive Transit large vans, trucks and chassis cab variants.
CVs are an important asset for Ford and account for more than 20 per cent of its total UK vehicle sales with the Transit leading the way in front of the Tourneo and the Fiesta Van.
Pick-up issues
Unfortunately, Ford’s success hasn’t transferred to its pick-up range, according to Ovenden, whose outgoing 2011 Ranger only managed to achieve fifth position in the pick-up sales league due in part to supply problems.
This was chiefly the shortage of panels from its Thailand factory which was hit by the floods. The aim is for the all new Ranger to double its current 10 per cent share of UK pick-up sales in 2012.
Pick-up registrations in the UK for 2011, fuelled mainly by the demand for double cab models, were 26,169 units, an increase of 34 per cent over 2010.
Ford hopes that upward trend will continue in 2012, with the Ford Ranger coming off the back of a world-first for a pick-up.
Safety
The Ranger Double Cab has just been awarded a Euro NCAP five star safety rating, the first ever pick-up to achieve this top level thanks to an impressive range of technology.
New safety features included in the new Ranger are electronic stability programme, trailer sway control, hill descent control, new side-curtain, thorax and frontal impact airbags.
Sales targets and rivals
Ford estimates that 65 per cent of the new Ranger sales in the UK will be for the Double Cab versions with the Regular Cab (Single Cab) and the Super-Cab (two door/four seat design) each taking 15 per cent of sales. Chassis Cabs supplied to bespoke body manufacturers will take up the remaining volume.
Currently the Ford Ranger gets only five per cent of its sales from the leisure sector but the all new Ranger, with chunky sporting looks, plush interior, improved ride comfort and high torque low emissions engines, will achieve a much higher share of sales to leisure and retail customers.
Ahead of the outgoing Ranger in the UK’s pick-up sales league is the new Toyota HiLux, Mitsubishi L200, Nissan Navara and Isuzu Rodeo ranges. The new and highly rated Volkswagen Amarok will pose a big sales threat to them all.
Pricing and details
On the road prices, excluding Vat, range from £15,515 for the 2.2-litre turbodiesel Single Cab 2WD up to £25,040 for the 3.2-litre turbodiesel automatic Wildtrak Double Cab 4x4. Specification and equipment levels, depending on body style, are XL, XLT, the likely best selling Limited and the lifestyle Wildtrak.
Retail prices including Vat range from £17,705 to £29,135.
The new Ranger comes with four body options, Regular Cab, Super Cab, Double Cab and Chassis Cab. Most variants have four wheel drive as standard but there is a two wheel drive option for Regular and Super Cab versions.
Depending on body style there are up to three engine options, all new units. These are Ford Duratorq TDCi turbodiesel engines with 2.2 and 3.2-litre capacities. Currently available is the 2.2-litre, four cylinder 150PS and the five cylinder 3.2-litre 200PS units.
A 2.2-litre unit with 125PS will become available with the arrival of the Regular Cab variants in the near future.
The all new global Ranger, designed in Australia and built in South Africa for Europe, was due to be launched in the UK last December but met delays because of the late delivery of body panels from the flood hit body plant in Thailand to the manufacturing lines in South Africa.
Summing up at the press launch, Steve Clary commercial vehicle director for Ford of Britain said, “Ranger has always been tough and capable but conceded market share to Nissan, Mitsubishi and Toyota. It did not have the right end user appeal – it left a bit to be desired. The all new Ranger will change all that."