Half a year since making its world debut, the 2023 Ford Ranger is now rolling off the assembly line at Ford’s facilities in Rayong, Thailand. Factory workers held a send-off ceremony for the first completed batch of the fourth-generation midsize pickup.
The first batch of the next-generation Ford Ranger will be shipped to Australian dealers
These units are bound for Australia, where the model has been developed since the previous iteration dating back to 2010. Australian showrooms will take delivery of the new Ranger by June 2022, barring unforeseen delays.
The first variants to be welcomed by dealers are those equipped with the 2.0-liter twin-turbo inline-4 diesel engine. Higher-spec trim levels running on the highly anticipated 3.0-liter turbodiesel V6 power unit will follow. Demand for the more powerful engine is reported to be higher than expected, making up over 70 percent of initial orders.
Ford is implementing a second shift in its assembly operations to ramp up production
Ford is ramping up production of the Ranger in its Thailand factory, recently adding a second shift at the assembly line. As the Blue Oval brand has ended its partnership with Mazda, the latter’s BT-50 model is no longer manufactured in the facility, allowing Ford to focus on its own vehicles.
However, Ford has advised dealers that production delays remain a potential issue due to the ongoing global semiconductor shortage. Customers placing their orders this month will likely receive their units in October at the earliest, with wait times potentially extending to early 2023. Despite this, availability will still depend on trim level, color, and factory options.
The 2023 Ford Ranger Raptor is lined up next for production, following the standard Ranger
Meanwhile, Ford will begin assembling the 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 Ranger Raptor in the coming weeks, with Australian deliveries expected by July or August. The company announced a $900 million (Php 47.1 billion) investment on its Rayong facility last December to boost production, bringing the total to $3.4 billion (Php 178.1 billion) over 25 years.
Filipino customers are also eagerly anticipating the next-generation Ranger’s arrival, with Ford Philippines announcing that the pickup will premiere locally in the middle of 2022, accompanied by the all-new Everest midsize SUV.
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