New Ford Ranger pick-ups

Fashionable lifestyle recreational use, reduced levels of company car taxation and ‘cool’ sporty looks have been the driving factors in the growth of pick-ups, in particular double-cab models in the UK in recent years.

The main ‘players’ have been Mitsubishi, Nissan Ford and Toyota, but there are others including Isuzu and Mazda.

In 2006 UK pick-up sales showed a 35 per cent growth, but this year, due to the reduction by The Treasury in the company car taxation advantages pick-ups had enjoyed over conventional passenger cars, estates, 4x4s and MPVs, the car-derived pick-up sector has seen sales fall by 28 per cent according to official SMMT sales figures.

However pick-ups, as they are classed as commercial vehicles - even the posh lifestyle double-cabs - do still offer company car users taxation advantages and of course if they are used for business they are generally exempt from VAT.

Although Nissan with their Navara and Mitsubishi with their L200 models continue to battle it out to see who will end up top-dog this year as market leader, Ford has strengthened its hand and added new models to the Ford Ranger range.

Last year Ford introduced a much better Ranger line-up with a new 2.5-litre 143PS common-rail turbodiesel engine, a completely redesigned interior, increased loading and towing capacities with better durability, ride comfort and improved driveability.

Recently they added a Tipper version to the range and for those users wanting even more power a 3.0-litre 156PS turbodiesel engine option has been introduced with additional Wildtrack and Thunder versions joining the line-up.

Whilst the 3.0-litre ‘glitzy’ Ranger Wildtrack, with its 5-speed manual transmission is aimed fairly and squarely at the recreational ‘lifestyle’ market, the 3.0-litre Ranger Thunder, with its standard automatic transmission, is aimed at company car, private and commercial vehicle users.

The Ford Ranger line-up is just as extensive and complicated as any mainstream passenger car range. In addition to the two engine options, depending on the model chosen, there are Regular (two door pick-up), the best-selling four-door Double-Cabs and pillarless Super-Cabs, which have a door-and-a-half each side.

The Regular and Super-Cab versions are available as a two or four-wheel drive models and all Double-Cabs are 4x4 models with a selectable two or four-wheel drive system with added low ratio gears selection.

The specification and equipment level choices range from Standard to XLT up to Thunder and Wildtrack, but again availability depends on what body style is chosen.

On-the-road prices start at £12,372 and go up to £20,872. These are excluding VAT as they are officially classed as commercial vehicles. The ‘specialist’ new Ranger Tipper costs £16,855.

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