Ranger Super Duty – A purpose-built truck designed for heavy-duty use, eliminating the need for costly aftermarket modifications
Quick Highlights
- Ranger Super Duty offers 4500kg Gross Vehicle Mass, 4500kg maximum braked towing, and 8000kg Gross Combined Mass.
- ‘Ultimate Tough’ Design: The Ranger Super Duty boasts a commanding presence with a taller stance, wider track, 33-inch tyres, and a ‘SUPER DUTY’ stamped hood, signalling capability
- Work-Ready from the Factory: From integrated device mounting points to a snorkel designed with Safari, the Ranger Super Duty is packed with functional features and upfitter-friendly design for seamless integration into any work environment
- Ranger Super Duty development involved learnings from the F-Series Super Duty program
- A purpose-built truck designed for heavy-duty use, eliminating the need for costly aftermarket modifications
- Ford Ranger Super Duty Everything you need to know
Ranger Super Duty
Ford Ranger Super Duty has been designed to provide customers with at-a-glance confidence to demonstrate its capability of doing more. From its taller stance and wider track to bigger tyres and more functional wing mirrors, it screams presence and capability.
The inspiration for a heavier-duty Ranger began with living the life of our truck customers, according to Todd Willing, head of Ford Design, Ford Motor Company.
“Fleet managers told us about the heavy-duty medium pick-up space and how there just wasn’t anything they wanted,” said Willing. “This set our team on a path to digging deeper, meeting with more than 50 companies and public services to truly live the life of these customers to understand their specific needs.”
The result was an idea for a truck that could bridge the gap between what was currently available and what the industry told us it needed. “As we collaborated on this idea more, we realised we wanted to deliver a truck that was the epitome of Built Ford Tough and that the way it looked had to match that functionality.”
What we got – Tough truck, tough looks
It looks like it is built for tough work.
Featuring:
- 33-inch General Grabber all-terrain light truck tyres,
- wider track width, and
- increased ground clearance
- unique bonnet design with chamfered edges
- leading edge of the bonnet stamped with ‘SUPER DUTY’,
- new open-weave mesh grille ensures optimum air flow.
At the front of the truck is a heavy-duty, frame-mounted steel bumper. This provides enhanced protection to the radiator and headlights in off-road situations.
Attachment points for mounting driving lights are standard. Front bash plate wraps down from the bumper. Offering impressive, increased approach, rampover and departure angles.
Model range Features
Available in Australia as either a Single, Super or Double Cab Chassis from launch in 2026.
Ranger Super Duty will also be available as a Double Cab with style-side box in mid-2026.
Available in two trim levels, Ranger Super Duty and Ranger Super Duty XLT (arriving mid-2026).
This variant will boast unique alloy wheels and touring-focussed upgrades and will be exclusively available on Double Cab chassis and pick-up variants only.
Designed for:
- working on the farm or building site,
- to emergency services or forestry needs,
- Heavy duty towing needs and
- Touring four-wheel drivers
Commercial grade but consumer friendly.
Ranger Super Duty’s snorkel is unique to the truck and designed by Safari. It complements the muscular lines of the front fender. The sealed installation helps raise the air intake height to roof level, providing cooler and cleaner air to the engine.
As a towing vehicle with a massive 4500 kg capacity, it needs better mirrors. Taller wing mirrors are essential if the internal rear-view mirror is obscured.
Other features include:
- Integrated Device Mounting System
- on-board scales,
- front and rear differential locks,
- heavy-duty axles, suspension and chassis
What is it like inside
The phrase ‘ Functional and ready for work” comes immediately to mind.
Features include:
- SUPER DUTY name embossed into the upper glovebox door
- a 12-inch infotainment screen with
- auxiliary switches located in the overhead console.
For those customers that need to use a larger screen or device in the cabin, an optional Integrated Device Mounting system can be installed on the passenger side of the vehicle for mounting devices up to 4 kilograms.
“The available Integrated Device Mounting system was designed to clear the passenger airbag zone and prevent owners from having to damage their vehicle by making modifications,” said Wolff. “Because it’s mounted directly to the vehicle, device vibration is reduced making it easier to view and use devices.”
Driver assistance
Ranger Super Duty gets:
- front and rear parking aids,
- 360-degree camera,
- blind-spot monitoring with trailer coverage,
- forward collision warning,
- auto emergency braking as well as
- reverse brake assist with cross-traffic alert, and much more.
Ranger Super Duty raises the game for cab chassis buyers with its clever rear driver assistance technology bar. The rear bar packages Ford’s advanced driver assist systems, giving owners the benefits of technologies not previously available on cab-chassis trucks.
Development program
Developing a truck like Ranger Super Duty and ensuring it could live a life doing the toughest jobs in the most extreme locations required an extensive durability program.
“We torture test our trucks to earn the name Super Duty,” said Baumbick. “For instance, to make sure Ranger Super Duty is ready for almost any work environment, we created an even tougher mud pack test to simulate mine work. Ranger Super Duty had to continue working, even with 600 kilograms of mud stuck to the bottom of the truck.”
Ford Australia used autonomous driving robots to run 24/7 tests on its infamous test track at You Yangs Proving Ground, Silver Creek, which simulates driving down a rocky dry riverbed. “Our Silver Creek and autonomous driving robots were designed and developed in North America for the testing and development of the original F-Series Super Duty and have been a part of global Built Ford Tough testing ever since,” said Baumbick.
The truck also ran the usual durability tests including 24/7 corrosion baths, towing dynos, shaker rig testing, extreme real-world off-roading, and more low-speed, low-range heavy load driving.
Smarter towing
Being able to tow more than any other factory-built mid-size pickup is just part of Ranger Super Duty’s story.
Starting with a recalibrated integrated trailer brake controller, Ranger Super Duty also gets Ranger’s Pro-Trailer Backup Assist™ that makes backing up as easy as turning a dial. The latest version uses a yaw rate sensor to help automatically manage trailer angle.
“Using a yaw rate sensor to guide Pro-Trailer Backup Assist™ allows for faster set up and running of the system, which we felt was important given Ranger Super Duty is all about work,” said Dave Burn, chief program engineer, Ford Australia.“Able to store up to 10 trailers and only requiring calibration once per trailer, Pro Trailer Backup Assist™ makes manoeuvring heavy trailers much easier.”
Ranger Super Duty debuts Ford’s Smart Hitch and Onboard Scales on a Ranger.
Smart Hitch helps customers better understand the weight on their vehicle’s towball and how to adjust the load in the trailer to ensure optimum load distribution and avoid under or overloading the towball.
Sensors mounted in the suspension on all four wheels means that Ford’s Onboard Scales can help customers estimate their payload as they add items to their vehicle, it also allows for customers to specify additional load for inclusion in payload estimation. Customers can monitor the weight being loaded into the load box via the SYNC screen.
Super Duty’s suit of armour – ready to go further
To ensure extended off-road range, engineers standardize a 130-litre long-range fuel tank, while designers create thick steel shielding to protect the tank from damage caused by impact when driving off-road. Indeed, the team armours Ranger Super Duty’s underbelly with a series of high-strength steel bash plates. They shield everything from the engine, front differential and transfer case, transmission, and fuel tank.
“With enhanced capability and developed for hard work, we know Ranger Super Duty will push to the limits on some of the toughest terrain on the planet,” said Burn. “That’s why we made sure to provide high strength protection underneath.”
Ranger Super Duty Weightlifter – Built to carry more
While its overall chassis dimensions might be the same as Ranger, runs a unique frame engineered to provide increased strength, performance and load carrying capacity. The engineers have reinforced the suspension mounts, box mount brackets, and tow bar mounts while making the frame thicker.. This allows Ranger Super Duty to achieve its incredible 4500-kilogram GVM rating.1
For enhanced durability, Ranger Super Duty runs stronger front and rear driveshaft while a new heavy-duty rear axle provides enhanced load carrying capacity. The new rear differential is the biggest and strongest to ever be fitted to a production Ranger.
To help spread the load, Ranger Super Duty gets eight-stud wheel hubs with larger bolts.
Ranger Super Duty has been developed with upfitting in mind. The reinforced frame and readily accessible mounting points make it easy to integrate a variety of aftermarket accessories and specialised equipment. This versatility means that Ranger Super Duty arrives ready to work from the factory.
“These enhancements are key to Ranger Super Duty being able to carry and tow bigger loads than any other factory-built mid-size pickup,” said Burn. “These larger, stronger components improve vehicle durability and reliability which is something we know our customers will appreciate.”
Proven powertrain – heavy duty ready
Ford’s 3.0-litre turbo diesel V6 is calibrated for heavy-duty emissions standards. Improved cooling ensures optimum temperature management under load and during sustained off-roading in difficult terrain.
“Burn said that this drivetrain will deliver EU6.2 compliance for global markets, meaning Ranger Super Duty is ready to work for years to come.
It also offers customers the option of delaying the automatic diesel particulate filter (DPF) regeneration and then manually initiating the clean at a time that suits.
“While a DPF is part of the emissions management system, being able to delay and then manually initiate a DPF clean will be a useful feature for those customers who operate in a high fire risk environment,” said Burn.
Ranger Super Duty – Extreme terrain capability
It also boasts an improved water wading depth compared to other diesel Ranger variants.
“Extensive testing in controlled and real-world situations proved the vehicle has the capability needed for all manner of user from emergency services to farmers and recreational off-roaders,” said Burn.
Offering six selectable drive modes (Normal, Eco, Tow/Haul, Mud/Ruts, Sand and Rock Crawl). These modes tailor a range of vehicle settings, from throttle and transmission response to stability control to aid when driving off-road.
Equipped with Ford’s advanced four-wheel drive system. It comes with 4A (Automatic 4WD) as the permanent setting. To ensure the vehicle always delivers the maximum amount of torque. To provide enhanced traction and control on both high and low grip surfaces and under load.
“Ranger Super Duty’s two-speed transfer case features larger, stronger components than other Ranger variants for enhanced durability,” said Burn. “To ensure this truck can handle life in low-range in extreme terrain, engineers upgraded the low-range gearset to match the F-Series Super Duty.”
Tough Testing Ranger Super Duty
Boasting front and rear locking differentials as standard on all variants. It has been set up to perform in the toughest terrain. The front differential is a modified version of the differential in the Bronco Raptor, updated for enhanced load capacity.
“We’ve tested it in extreme conditions where a vehicle with open differentials would have become stuck and unable to proceed. But thanks to
- a locking front and rear differential and
- an enhanced low-range gearset and
- a host of other off-road capability improvements,
- Ranger Super Duty performed flawlessly,” said Burn.
“With unmatched capability in the mid-sized truck segment. It really is the sum of all its parts. We’re confident that whether your job is extreme. Or you’re an adventurer who likes to go a long way off the beaten track. Ranger Super Duty will get you there and back again,” said Burn.
Order one soon – Ranger Super Duty
Ordering for Australia and New Zealand opens later this year with arrivals in dealerships expected in 2026. Details about model line-up and on-sale dates for Thailand. More information is available on ford.com.au