The new 2023 Ford Ranger has been caught on camera in the US undergoing testing.
US-based website Ford Authority has published spy shots of a next-gen 2023 Ford Ranger prototype undergoing road testing in the States.
Although the vehicle in the images is heavily camouflaged, the shape of the new front-end can be clearly seen and it looks as though it will mimic the new F-150’s styling to some degree, with a new C-shaped headlight design also revealed on the upcoming US-market Ford Maverick (pictured below).
Interestingly, the rest of the Ranger prototype appears to look quite similar in overall shape to the current-generation Ranger, with a familiar-looking profile and upper turret design.
Although driveline details are yet to be confirmed, it’s possible that the next-gen Ranger, which will also form the basis for the next-gen Volkswagen Amarok, will be powered by Ford’s 3.0-litre V6 turbo-diesel engine, which also serves in the Ford F-150. This engine makes around 186kW at 3250rpm and almost 600Nm of torque – a more than significant increase on the current-generation Ranger 2.0L four-cylinder twin-turbo-diesel’s 150kW/500Nm output.
The 3.0L V6 is commonly mated to Ford’s 10-speed auto, which is the same transmission used on the current Aussie-market 2.0L Ranger. It’s unlikely the next-gen Ranger will have a manual gearbox option, or that the 3.2-litre turbo-diesel five-cylinder engine will survive beyond the current model.
It’s expected the the new MY23 Ranger will go on sale towards the end of 2022 in Australia.
