The Ranger pickup truck is one of Ford Philippines’ best-selling models. In fact, Ford PH said that the Ranger was the best-selling 4x4 pickup truck in 2020 with a market share of 41 percent. The brand added that the full-year sales for the Ranger 4x4 amounted to 5,093 units sold. The said number translates to 52 percent of the total Ranger sales in 2020, 9,767 units.
The local market’s demand for the Ranger shows us that the said pickup truck is one of the important vehicles in Ford PH’s model lineup. In response to its positive sales performance, Ford PH is further looking for ways to maximize the Ranger’s popularity in the market.
Ford FX4 MAX is ready to drive through almost any terrain
The first thing that Ford PH did was to launch the facelifted Ranger pickup last February 2021. It’s available in 13 variants with a starting price of Php 1,062,000 while the Ranger Raptor is priced at Php 1,998,000.
However, it seems that Ford PH believes that 13, in reference to the Ranger variants, is a not so lucky number. As such, the brand is set to launch a new Ranger variant this year that would make the trim levels a total of 14. The variant in question is the Ford Ranger FX4 Max, a workhorse version of the Raptor.
The Ford Ranger FX4 Max can be considered as a Raptor Lite. It also comes with a bold and aggressive stance but the Ranger FX4 Max is more of a workhorse truck. Unlike the Ranger Raptor that has a towing capacity of 2,500 kg, the FX4 Max can tow up to 3,500 kg. The reason for this is that the Ranger FX4 Max has a leaf spring rather than a coil setup.
Ford FX4 Max doing some hill climb
The Ranger FX4 Max’s suspension setup also translates to a 981 kg payload capacity as compared to the Ranger Raptor’s 748 kg. The Ranger FX4 Max also comes with 2.0-inch monotube Fox shock absorbers for both front and rear.
Under the hood, the Ford Ranger FX4 Max is powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged diesel engine that puts out 210 hp and 500 Nm of torque. The engine is mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission.
Ford Ranger FX4 Max in its natural habitat
In terms of exterior design, the Ranger FX4 Max is fitted with a blacked-out grille that features a massive “FORD” trim. It also has uniquely styled side steps that feature a non-slip finish as well as a sports bar with a tray light. To be able to drive through rough terrain, the Ranger FX4 Max is equipped with a set of BF Goodrich 17-inch all-terrain tires.
Ford Ranger FX4 Max seats
Inside, the truck has a black interior theme along with FX4 Max embroidered seats with leather and suede accents. It also gets a leather steering wheel, a dual-zone climate control, and an eight-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility.
Ford said that the Ranger FX4 Max has an acoustic windshield, featuring added layers of soundproofing insulation. This is said to minimize outside road-noise, which gives a better driving experience.
Ford Philippines will launch the Ranger FX4 Max on March 10, 2021 along with its official price. But, based on the features mentioned and its pricing in other markets, expect the FX4 Max to be priced somewhere between the Ranger Wildtrak (Php 1,728,000) and the Ranger Raptor (Php 1,998,000).
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