First Look 2023 Ranger: Unmasked and Testing!

[4Wheeler]

I will be doing some work at the Ford proving ground here in Australia in a few months. I was there about 4 months ago but did not see any test mules. It will be interesting to see if any are about next visit. The mules are also usually seen on the roads around Geelong which is about 20 kms (13 miles) as the engineers tend to drive them around a bit.

I must admit I was more interested in the video manipulation. The section which has the Ranger climbing a hill to the lookout with the expansive view has been totally altered. The lookout is Siller's Lookout at Arkaroola Sanctuary in South Australia. It is a private track called the Ridgetop Track. Tourists can do the track in tour vehicles but unfortunately private vehicles can't drive the track.

In real life the view looks out roughly eastwards towards Lake Frome which is on a flat plain. There are no ranges off in the distance in the direction of the view in the video although to the north there are. Also there is safety fencing surrounding a good part of the lookout as it is a sheer drop.

Arkaroola and the Flinders Ranges region is a favourite place for manufacturers to carry out vehicle durability and suspension testing here in Australia. What better job could you have - getting paid to 4WD in a beautiful remote location. While I live 1200 km (750 miles) from the region, I would say it is my favourite part of Australia. So many 4x4 tracks, so little time!

The Ridgetop Tour is spectacular, passing through a rugged and ancient landscape. The tour vehicles they use are Toyota Landcruisers. They belt them up and down the tracks at a good pace with high tyre (tire) pressures to carry the weight of around 6 passengers. I love my Ranger but it would last about 2 minutes on the tracks if it was driven the way the Toyotas are driven!

There are many other 4x4 tracks at Arkaroola, and if you are into geology, 4WDing, bushwalking etc, there is just so much to see. Climbing to one of the rugged peaks surrounding the resort to watch the sunset is a memory I will never forget.

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[Cmar]

I think the grill and lights look good. The bumper looks like a European/Asian market ranger bumper. Those 5g rangers have that plastic bumper yet NA has steel. Also the bar across the bed is definitely more popular in Europe and Asian markets than NA. Makes me think this mule isn't the final production version for NA.

If it has all the upgrades like the new F-150's I will want one.

There is actually a steel rail behind the plastic bumper, the plastic bumper, it's there to meet pedestrian safety requirements in the EU and Aus. I don't really care as it is quite legal to rip it off and replace with a a solid steel bullbar. In fact that's a necessity if you live in a rural area of Aus like I do. Both my wife and I have hit kangaroos living here, recently a friend up the street from us had her car (a Mazda 2) completely destroyed by kangaroo strike, airbags deployed, even the sunroof frame bent. That what happens when 150Kg of solid muscle hits the front of your (plastic) car at 100 km /hr.

Yeah the stainless steel "Roll Bars" are popular here. My truck doesn't have one now because I have a full canopy. But it left the factory with one.

 

[Kataphrakt]

Both my wife and I have hit kangaroos living here, recently a friend up the street from us had her car (a Mazda 2) completely destroyed by kangaroo strike, airbags deployed, even the sunroof frame bent. That what happens when 150Kg of solid muscle hits the front of your (plastic) car at 100 km

around here we hit deer instead of hoppers

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