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The prospect of a left-hand drive model of the Australian-developed Ford Ranger Tremendous Obligation for world consumption has been left open, with the US market doubtlessly being one of many first to place its hand up.
Throughout a roundtable dialogue, Ford Australia boss Andrew Birkic and a number of other senior Blue Oval engineers stated their counterparts in North America initially laughed on the prospect of making a Ranger ‘Tremendous Obligation’ – a nameplate beforehand solely utilized to the likes of the extra-large F-250 and F-350 pickups.
Nevertheless, after starting growth of the brand new heavy-duty ute – which shares comparatively little past the inside and front-end with the usual Ranger – Ford HQ finally conceded it was worthy of the Tremendous Obligation title.
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Because the reveal of the Ranger Tremendous Obligation, many Ford followers within the US have expressed their disappointment that there have been no plans introduced for the hardcore ute to be offered in North America.
Whereas Ford spokespeople remained tight-lipped about plans for a left-hand drive Tremendous Obligation, they did admit the mannequin was created as a worldwide product.
Nevertheless, on the ute’s world launch in regional Victoria final week, Mr Birkic downplayed any plans for a left-hand drive Ranger Tremendous Obligation.
Regardless of the denial, the common Ranger is already engineered and manufactured in each left- and right-hand drive, in Thailand and South Africa for worldwide markets together with Australia, within the US for the North American market, and likewise in international locations similar to China, Vietnam and Argentina.
So for nations that drive on the fitting aspect of the street, Ford has at its disposal left-hand drive dashboards, pedal packing containers, and steering parts already being manufactured for the Ranger.
Whereas virtually all chassis parts have been upgraded for the heavy-duty Ranger, it could be comparatively simple for the Tremendous Obligation to be produced in any manufacturing unit the place the Ranger is already manufactured, leaving the door open for a left-hand drive Ranger Tremendous Obligation within the firm’s future.
However given Ford HQ initially laughed on the mere concept of a Ranger Tremendous Obligation, there could be extra work to do earlier than the ute hits driveways in North America, past simply engineering and manufacturing.
MORE: Discover the Ford Ranger showroom
