According to the images taken by motor1.com, making out the extremely heavy camouflaged test mule as a pick-up is almost impossible thanks to an upright structure presumably bolted into the bed to create a van impression.
The most telling details of the newcomer being from the Blue Oval though are the headlights, which appears similar to those of the Transit sold in the United States, the placing of the indicators on the flanks of the front bumper derived from the EcoSport and the number plate that indicates the prototype as being having been registered in Ford’s home state of Michigan.
Although little else is known, reports are that the newcomer, which in its previous guise was marketed as the Courier in South America and the Bantam in South Africa, will be underpinned by the same C2 platform as the Focus and possibly revive the Ranchero nameplate when it goes on sale in 2021 or 2022.
Unlike the original Ranchero though, the Focus based model will not be powered by a selection of six and eight-cylinder engines, but rather the 1.5 or 2.0 EcoBoost petrol mills with a likely possibility of even the 2.3 EcoBoost powering the US-spec Ranger being offered. Outside of the Americas, the Ranchero, if approved for global markets, will use the same 2.0 EcoBlue motor as the Focus, or even the 1.5 TDCI from the Fiesta.
Slated to arrive a year before the Ranchero, a new claim from Australia has meanwhile alleged that the much awaited new Bronco will not be made in right-hand drive despite making use of the same T6 underpinnings as the global Ranger and Everest.
Speaking to motoring.com.au, Ford’s CEO Down Under, Kay Hart, poured cold water on any hopes of the returning nameplate coming with the steering wheel on the right, alluding to the fact that the Dearborn automaker is happy with the performance of the Ranger due to it “filling that space” for the local market.
“There’s nothing to announce. There are currently no plans in place for [a] right-hand drive Bronco. Clearly it’s going to be a great vehicle, but we are extremely happy with the performance of Ranger here. That’s not to say we don’t continually look at other products within Ford, but Ranger is doing such a fantastic job here. We’re happy with the line-up as it stands, but that’s not to say we wouldn’t look to add to the range in future," Kay said.
In spite of being touted as a possible world model, Kay’s ruling out of the Bronco for Australia also means that the model will remain forbidden fruit for South Africans, along with the European-spec version of the US market Edge sold Down Under as the Endura.
