We might be fond of SUVs but when it comes to lifestyle vehicles, India still lags a little behind. Pickup trucks are considered to be very practical, the reason why they enjoy such huge popularity in countries like the USA. But when we talk about our country, the pickup truck segment is devoid of any serious action. We did have the Isuzu D-Max V-Cross but that met a sad demise as we stepped into the BS6 era. However, it looks like this segment is about to go through a transformation period as Ford might launch the Ranger pickup truck in India.
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Latest spy shots suggest that Ford might be planning to bring the Ranger in India as it was spied in production-ready form, unlike the previously spied test mules.
The spy shots reveal the Ranger wearing temporary Haryana number plates. Even if Ford is planning to start manufacturing the Ranger pickup in India for export, an India launch too could very well be on the cards. Talking about the Ranger pickup truck, it is based on the Everest or the Endeavour SUV. It might come with the same powertrain as well. The 2.0-litre EcoBlue turbo-diesel engine puts out 170PS and 420Nm. This engine is paired to an India-first 10-speed automatic gearbox. The Ford Ranger was originally introduced for 1983 as the first compact pickup truck produced by the American carmaking giant.
The Ranger sits below the F-150 in Ford’s line-up, and serves as the smallest Ford pickup truck. The vehicle could also have been brought to the country by Ford to test the platform. For those of you who are unaware, Ford Motor Company and Mahindra & Mahindra formed a joint venture which will be the basis for both Mahindra and Ford compact SUVs to come. We can also expect Toyota to bring in the Hilux pickup truck in India as it has also been spied on multiple occasions.
For the uninitiated, it is built on the same IMV platform which underpins the likes of Toyota Fortuner and Innova. Not only this, but the Hilux pickup truck also shares engines, gearboxes, four-wheel-drive systems and suspension components. In terms of powertrain, Toyota has also added a 2.8-litre diesel engine to complement the 2.4-litre unit already offered. It produces 204hp and 500Nm of torque, taking the Hilux from 0-100kph in ten seconds flat – a full 3.2 seconds faster than the 2.4-litre version.