Ford has released a video showing the pain it is putting its revived Ford Ranger through in testing before its reintroduction to the North American market next year.
The rigorous testing, so harsh that much of it had to be conducted using robot drivers instead of vulnerable humans, is designed to fine-tune the new model so that it take whatever future owners can throw at it. The video shows the prototype Ranger being tested in conditions of extreme heat and cold and on highly demanding terrain.
Much of the testing is taking place at Ford’s proving grounds in Michigan, but the company has also taken the show on the road, so to speak, to Arizona’s Davis Dam for evaluating the truck’s towing capacities on steep roads, and to the Australian outback for its extremely hot, dusty environment.
Ford plans to begin production of the battle-hardened final version of the new 2019 Ranger towards the end of this year at the company’s plant in Michigan. The Ford Ranger, currently sold in other markets around the world, will be adapted ot meet the needs of North American consumers, notably by redesigning the exterior and the chassis of the truck and by upgrading its powertrain.