The Ford Ranger Super Duty launched this week, with the company firmly going after fleet sales and industries traditionally dominated by the Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series.
Being a close relation to the Everest – the seven-seater SUV version of the Ranger ute – CarExpert put forward the question of whether a wagon body is destined to be offered on the Ranger Super Duty platform.
“Look, I mean you never say never,” Ford Australia CEO Andrew Birkic responded.
“But it’s not on the agenda right now… well, not that I’m aware of,” he said, before jokingly asking his engineering team if it was something they were working on.
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Despite the mining, forestry, fire management, and agriculture industries being the main focus of the program, Ford engineers admitted many grey nomads and off-road enthusiasts would naturally be attracted to the Ranger Super Duty due to its heavy-duty construction and high payload capacity.
While the Ford boss wouldn’t categorically rule out the possibility of a future Everest Super Duty to compete against – or perhaps take the place of – the likes of Toyota’s LC78 Troop Carrier and LC76 wagon, he pivoted the answer towards investment.
“At the end of the day, Ford Motor Company is a commercial enterprise, and we have to spend our capital wisely and make sure we can generate a return.
“But [Ford has to] also meet the market – there’s got to be a market. Is there a level of demand? And can you do well in that?” Mr Birkic explained.
“I think our vision [is being] focused on what we do, and do it well. Maybe [rather] than spreading ourselves everywhere.”
