PRESS RELEASE:
Ranger Max Show Truck Delivers Maximum Capability, Maximum Style and Maximum Impact

BANGKOK, Thailand, November 28 – Renowned for its genuine toughness and strength, the Ford Ranger takes a confident step forward with the debut of the high-impact Ranger Max show truck at the Thailand International Motor Expo.

Ranger Max pushes everyone’s expectations of Ranger. Visually bold and muscular, it takes to the stage at the Ford stand with confidence, sophistication and craftsmanship. The Ranger Max extends Ranger’s reputation as the best all-around compact truck on the market.

“We know Ranger is tough and durable, and Ranger Max adds to those qualities. The show truck does not follow a trend; it sets a new tough style direction for compact trucks,” says Paul Gibson, the chief designer of the Ranger Max show truck. “Ranger Max is genuinely tough, and it is a truck that gets the job done. This high-impact show truck also has the bold visual presence that looks great on the urban scene.”

A team of Ford truck specialists in Thailand worked closely with Ford’s Australia-based Asia Pacific and Africa design team, led by Gibson, to create Ranger Max. Ford’s design team incorporated design cues into Ranger Max that may be seen in future-generation Ranger.

“The Ranger Max is not just about creating show excitement,” Gibson said. “We have a great opportunity to test design themes that may make their way into production. Ranger Max says exciting things about the possibilities for truck fans in Ranger’s future.”

“The tough style of Ranger Max is based on the capability and versatility that make Ford Ranger the choice of the most demanding truck owners,” said Mr. Saroj Kiatfuengfoo, senior vice president, Ford Thailand. “Ranger Max’s high-impact design and tough style appeal will excite truck enthusiasts in Thailand.”

Delivering Tough Style
Genuine truck toughness comes from great design and engineering, which means the production Ford Ranger is the ideal foundation for creating Ranger Max. No under-skin modification was needed with Ford Ranger to produce Ranger Max.

Gibson and his team of designers concentrated on exploring the limits of tough style. “Ranger Max wasn’t meant to be elegant or pretty. The robust nature of Ranger means that it is the dependable workhorse, and with Ranger Max we wanted to create a show truck that is cool as hell.”

They took inspiration from things many truck owners know and appreciate. The distinctive contrast between Ranger Max’s hardcore orange paintwork with matte black accents is inspired by the functional design found in some modern power tools – just like those used by many Ranger owners every day. Ford designers recognize how absolute function and durability inspire these industrial tools and make them more appealing.

Industrial shapes such as the cog-like detailing in the body accents and wheel arch mouldings extend Ranger Max’s theme of tough style as the ultimate power tool.
Pushing the power tool inspiration a step further, the Ranger Max design team noted how power tools and similar objects incorporated words into their design to convey instructions or warnings. Ranger Max uses ‘words’ in this same style to accentuate its robust ‘industrial feel’.

Ranger Max is full of details like this, such as the word GRAB imprinted subtly on the bold, black grab handle in the side of the sportsbar linked to the cab. Every letter is precisely shaped in a ‘truncated’ font that complements the toughness and utility the overall truck design communicates.

Several power tool brands have inspired Ford designers. Other inspirations for Ranger Max have come from active sports, such as rock climbing, and the tough, technical products used by active sportsmen.

Just like Ford Ranger, the robustness of these products is affordable and their designs are purposeful. People buy these products because they know they can depend on them to get the job done.

“Ranger is respected,” Gibson says, “and Ranger Max amplifies that identity, which gives it a modern and youthful character that’s really suited to sporting and social activities, too.”

Taking Ranger to the Max
With its character as the ultimate power tool, Ranger Max show truck exudes confidence and purpose. It’s up for the job – work or fun – and its tough style says so. It features full surfaces that convey the power and strength of its tough-truck backbone. The detail of its design demonstrates this show truck has been designed by people who know trucks and love them.

Like a high-quality power tool, it’s ready for tough use. This means purposeful matte black plastic accent features and trim items – and no fussy, fancy chrome.
Ranger Max has innovative features such as a remote-controlled power tonneau cover for the cargo bed and a distinctive sportsbar that visually extends the length of the well-proportioned Ford Ranger side-access Open Cab.

And Ranger Max rides on distinctive, deep-dish, 18-inch alloy concept wheels and custom technical-look tyres that finish its extreme looks.
This is a Ranger and proud of its tough-truck heritage. RANGER is boldly embossed in the hood and sidesteps on Ranger Max.

Dynamic Profile
Ranger Max’s high impact establishes a powerful presence wherever it goes. And that bright orange high-energy colour is officially known as Mango Hit. It is the colourful creation of Debbie Pascoe, colour and trim manager, Ranger Max design team.

Its profile exudes power and dominance as well as balanced proportion. The flexed ‘power dome’ shape of its hood communicates the pulling power and high torque of the engine. The power dome shape carries through to influence the design of the hard tonneau cover at the rear of the vehicle. These two overt muscular design elements give Ranger Max power and solidity. It’s enough to scare the typical pickup into the gym for serious weight training.

Adding even more dynamism to the profile is the exclusive Ranger Max sportsbar, which attaches to the pickup bed and arches across the vehicle. This unique crossbar is shaped to create the visual impression that Ranger Max is always on the move – or ready for action.

“The sportsbar makes a big statement,” explains Max Tran, a Ford designer who played a key role in developing the vehicle. “It adds a feeling of movement and dynamic character, and incorporates some great design details, including twin air scoop shapes on top.”

Built into each side of the crossbar is an integral grab handle. Finished in matte black plastic, the grab handle design is all about purpose. The dark shape of the grab handle visually extends the perceived shape of the Ranger Max side window shape, accentuating the feel of functionality and space of the Ranger side-access Open Cab – a functional feature which Ranger debuted in 2002 in response to feedback from tradesmen.

The grab handle is labelled – like instructions on power tools and on aircraft – with the word GRAB. Similarly, the side door of the Ranger Max is distinctively yet discretely labelled AXCESS. These functional callouts also extend to the Ranger Max fuel inlet, which is designed to intersect one of the bold wheel arches, labelled FUEL.

“There’s no mistaking the purpose of labels like these on power tools,” Tran explained. “On Ranger Max, they fulfil the same role. It’s the style of purpose.”
For example, the vent on each front fender uses hexagon-shaped details and discrete chrome badging with the word RANGER. MAX adjoins this Ranger badge to reinforce the show truck’s name.

Other design details in the Ranger Max profile include incorporating the side repeater lamp into the side mirror. The lower bodyside, with two-piece interlocked sidestep look, was inspired by rock-climbing carabineers and other outdoor gear you trust with your life.

Ranger Max’s stance communicates power, purpose and athleticism. The design team has crafted unique, 18-inch alloy concept wheels for Ranger Max. These deep-dish, six-spoke wheels – with black graphic funnel shapes to their centres – are must-have sporting accessories perfectly suited to Ranger Max. Featuring large offsets, the wheels build on Ranger Max’s distinctive tough style.

Big P285/60R18 tires with a chunky tread pattern give Ranger Max the footwear and traction it needs to accomplish any job or adventure.

The bold wheel arches with cog-shaped detailing reinforce Range Max’s stance and its purpose. Explosive, dynamic side graphics on the fenders and lower doors are inspired by the high-impact of shattering glass.

A New Face of Possibilities
Ranger Max is about confidence without aggression. It has a go-anywhere, do-anything attitude as well as great design detail. “When you look at the front design, the three-bar grille, the overt nostrils and open mouth, you’re looking straight into the face of Ranger’s evolution,” said Gibson.

“There are design elements we are developing and Ranger Max is one possibility. We’ve crafted the face of the Ranger Max to explore a new look. Elements from it could evolve into the new identity of Ford Ranger.”

The three-bar grille is a Ford hallmark design element, conveying strength and quality, integrated with a proud, large badge of the famous Ford blue oval. Ranger Max adopts dynamic, modern headlamps which angle at the top to communicate energy and movement.

More robustness cues abound in the front design. Here, the power-dome hood is a dominating shape. Its leading edge features an integral hot-air vent and reinforces that Ranger Max is a tough, powerful machine.

Self-confident Ranger branding – embossed in the top of the front grille surround – is another proud aspect of the front design.

Two major design elements link together to form the dominant frontal look of Ranger Max. The corporate three-bar grille imbeds itself into the lower enlarge air intake. A distinct line starting from the headlamps follows around the nostril and borders the lower air intake. This signature line unites the major design elements to create the defined face of Ranger Max.

Powerful Pulling Away
Ranger Max has presence on the road. Its bold rear design is the combination of proportion and details such as the pronounced contours of the tonneau cover which emulate the power bulge on the bonnet. The distinctive sportsbar integrates the cabin area with the tonneau cover. Continuing rearward, Ranger Max is neatly finished off with a tailgate cladding embossed with RANGER and a pair of unique tail lamps.

“We’re really excited about the Ranger Max because we’ve been able to define a tough style and apply it to Ranger. It is credible and very believable. Ranger Max amplifies the reputation of our truck,” said Tran. “There’s nothing minimal about the Ranger Max.”

Star at Thailand International Motor Expo
The Thailand International Motor Expo 2008, with Ranger Max as the star attraction for Ford, runs from November 28 to December 10.

“We recognise that Thailand is the home of Ranger for Asia Pacific, and from Thailand we export Ranger around the world. We know Asia is a fusion of many cultures, and we look to Thailand as a wonderful blend of tastes, styles and emerging ideas. For this very reason, we decided to create Ranger Max in Thailand and show the high-impact truck to the world at Motor Expo,” said
Mr. Kiatfuengfoo.

[Source: Ford]

PRESS RELEASE:

ENSENADA, MEXICO, Nov. 25, 2008 – The Ford F-150 SVT Raptor R race truck, based on the production version of the upcoming 2010 F-150 SVT Raptor, survived the grueling 41st Tecate SCORE Baja 1000, finishing the 631 mile race in 25:28:10.

Considered one of the toughest off-road races in the world, the Ford F-150 SVT Raptor R race truck that participated in the Baja 1000 was a collaboration between the Ford Special Vehicle Team (SVT), Ford Racing, and Foutz Motorsports Inc. The pickup was entered into the race to test the durability and performance of the 2010 F-150 SVT Raptor, which goes on sale in the summer of 2009.

“We engineered the F-150 SVT Raptor to be the best high-speed off-road performance truck available right off the showroom floor, and finishing the Baja 1000 proves this,” stated Jamal Hameedi, SVT’s Chief Nameplate Engineer. “Now we need to analyze all the engineering data from the race and apply lessons learned to the production truck, ensuring that the truck delivered to customers exceeds their expectations.”

Prepared for racing in long distance off-road endurance events, the Ford F-150 SVT Raptor R uses stock components of F-150 SVT Raptor, including the transmission, brakes and axles. The frame – the part of the truck that will take the most stress – is the same proven fully boxed frame that delivers class-leading towing and hauling in the all-new 2009 Ford F-150 that went on sale in October. The Raptor race truck is powered by a specially-calibrated version of the available 6.2-liter V-8 engine, making 500-horsepower.

Even if the typical Ford customer will not be putting their truck through the punishing paces of the Baja 1000, the point is, they could.

The Ford F-150 SVT Raptor R in the Baja 1000 also served as a test bed for the development of a lineup of race-proven, desert-tested, off-road performance parts that will be available through the Ford Racing catalog.

“This was very exciting for all involved,” said Jamie Allison, sales and marketing manager for Ford Racing. “Even with the extreme capability of the F-150 SVT Raptor right out of the box, we know our customers will want to take its performance to an even higher level. This race truck will be invaluable to Ford Racing as we examine what performance parts we’ll be able to offer customers for the production Raptor.”

Ford brought some of the best stock class off-road truck drivers together to drive the F-150 SVT Raptor R in the Baja 1000. Drivers of record were Steve Olliges, Randy Merritt, Greg Foutz, Bud Brutsman, and SVT Vehicle Development Engineer Gene Martindale.

[Source: Ford]

PRESS RELEASE:

Ford, the definitive leader in tough trucks, is further building on its solid foundation of the new F-150 to deliver the all-new 2010 F-150 SVT Raptor, a purpose-built, high-performance off-road truck versatile enough to take on the most challenging desert adventures as well as the everyday commute.

“Ford trucks have been a mainstay on the off-road racing scene for more that 20 years because of our long history of capability and durability,” said Derrick Kuzak, Ford’s group vice president for Global Product Development. “With the F-150 SVT Raptor, we are delivering a true off-road performance truck with the proven ‘Built Ford Tough’ capability and durability that is at the core of every F-150 and the best in performance thanks to the team at SVT.”
“Like its fighter jet and dinosaur namesakes, the F-150 SVT Raptor is tough, fast, aggressive, and built with the off-road enthusiast in mind,” he added.

Ford and off-road racing
Desert off-road racing is something Ford knows and does well, with eight championships in nine divisions in the 2007 “Best In The Desert” series and four more titles in CORR (Championship Off Road Racing). Ford has also shown its dominance at the Baja 1000 race – 12 Ford-powered vehicles have won the overall title for four-wheel vehicles, the most of any engine manufacturer.

With interest in off-road performance growing at a steady rate, the F-150 SVT Raptor was built to fulfill the desires of that highly demanding market. The high-performance off-road truck market is one that’s largely untapped, allowing the Ford F-150 SVT Raptor to set the bar for this type of vehicle.

“Most of the major manufacturers have focused on-road performance, so when we looked at what was available in off-road truck performance, it was somewhat limited,” said Mark Grueber, Ford product marketing manager for pickups and large SUVs. “This was the perfect opportunity for Ford to further differentiate the F-150 from other trucks on the market.”

Looks tough and fast
The tough, chiseled look of the new Ford F-150 has been taken to a new level with F-150 SVT Raptor. The agile, performance truck was designed to give the impression it is always on the move.

Noticeable differences between the Ford F-150 SVT Raptor and conventional F-150 include a distinctive grille that has the Ford name carved into it; front bumper, vented hood, front fascia and fenders, functional hood extractors, fender extractors with ‘SVT’ bored out, as well as visible FOX Racing Shox, the only internal bypass shocks available on a street truck.

Another key difference between the F-150 SVT Raptor and the base F-150 is it is more than seven inches wider. Ford designers took advantage of this difference and highlighted it with distinctive marker lamps. When turned off, the marker lamps are well-integrated into the F-150 SVT Raptor’s front end, as opposed to on top of the cab. When lit up, Raptor’s imposing stance is immediately recognizable.

While the exterior design of the F-150 SVT Raptor is about creating an image, the interior design is about creating the feel of the truck, and both must complement each other.

Design elements from the unique grille and front fascia have been carried through to the interior on the console and dashboard. The steering wheel is wrapped in black leather and features a molten-orange leather strip that serves as a centering sight line – which is especially useful in extreme driving maneuvers that can often cause the driver to lose perspective of the steering wheel’s center point.

Revved up and ready
The Ford F-150 SVT Raptor is powered by the F-150′s proven 5.4-liter Triton V-8 three-valve engine, which delivers 320 horsepower and 390 lb.-ft. of torque. A new open-valve fuel injection strategy improves the air/fuel charge conditions in the combustion chamber, allowing greater spark advance at higher loads and engine speeds. This delivers increased horsepower during towing and higher rpm operations, lower emissions and more efficient use of fuel.

A new 6.2-liter V-8 engine will be available after launch. The 6.2-liter engine features all-new architecture specifically designed for robustness in a truck application.

Given reliability and longevity under harsh conditions are key to truck customers, the Ford team performed extensive testing to ensure the 6.2-liter V-8 engine would live up to the ‘Built Ford Tough’ promise. Fifty 6.2-liter V-8 engines successfully endured more than a dozen of the toughest engine tests at Ford’s dynamometer lab during development.

SVT used a specially designed, 62-mile durability loop in the desert of Borrego Springs, Calif., to replicate the conditions of the Baja 1000 race, to further test the engines’ performance.

Take off and landing
Building a high-performance off-road truck is not about the horsepower – it’s about the suspension. The F-150 SVT Raptor doesn’t disappoint, with 13.4 inches of usable travel in the rear suspension and 11.2 in the front.

“With the F-150 SVT Raptor, we changed the axle, the whole front suspension is different – new upper A arm, new lower A arm, new tie rod, new half-shaft joints,” said Jamal Hameedi, Ford SVT chief engineer. “It’s well beyond what SVT has ever done with one of our vehicles.”

Raptor’s wider track and softer suspension mean it will comparatively glide over obstacles. And when it has to be “launched,” be prepared for a soft landing. “The suspension does all the work to keep the truck’s attitude stable,” Hameedi said.

In addition to a beefed up suspension, the F-150 SVT Raptor also boasts unique internal bypass Fox Racing Shox, the only internal bypass shocks on a street truck. The position sensitive dampening internal bypass feature allows the shock to become significantly stiffer as it travels, preventing the truck from bottoming out.

By working with Fox internal bypass technology and applying the Ford engineering methodology, there haven’t been trade-offs to assure extreme off-road handling over on-road ride comfort.

“This truck is also going to be a daily driver. We brought together a lot of experts to ensure the on-road steering precision and comfort was there, too,” said Hameedi. “That’s where Ford expertise really came to the table and complemented Fox’s off-road expertise.”

A tough truck needs tough tires, and a BF Goodrich All-Terrain TA/KO 315/70-17 tire does the job.
To help improve the tire in a variety of conditions, the compound of the tread was altered. Engineers made the rubber softer for better performance on and off-road and for precise and predictable steering in a variety of conditions while the interior of the tire was modified to improve lateral firmness.

The tall sidewall on the 35-inch tire can handle rocks and irregular surfaces commonly experienced in an off-road environment. A 17-inch cast aluminum wheel is designed to absorb the impact of objects the truck could encounter in some of the most extreme environments.

Specialized Technologies
The F-150 SVT Raptor provides the complete package for off-roaders, including state-of-the-art technologies to keep it at the top of capability.

“For many years, enthusiasts have been struggling with the performance of electronic technologies in the extreme off-road environment since that was not the environment they were designed for,” Hameedi said. “What SVT has done is tailor technology to function in both an on-road and an extreme off-road environment.”

Technologies include:
• AdvanceTrac® with RSC® (Roll Stability Control™) predicts the vehicle’s path using a sensor to detect and measure oversteer and yaw by monitoring the vehicle’s speed, throttle position and steering wheel angle. When the system senses wheel slip or the loss of traction, it applies braking where needed to keep the truck tracking safely on its intended path. If a significant roll rate is detected, the system applies additional countermeasures to enhance vehicle roll resistance.

The off-road enthusiast has the option to switch to two available settings – sport mode and full off-road mode depending on their driving situation. The sport mode shuts off traction control enabling the vehicle to have more yaw movement.

Full off-road mode shuts off all electronic stability programs and the ABS system switches to a special off-road setting. Widening the threshold of sport mode, the wheels will lock more which is helpful in off-road terrain. Also in full off-road mode, the locking rear differential is allowed to stay locked at elevated speeds to mimic a spool differential found on racing trucks.

• Trailer Sway Control works in conjunction with AdvanceTrac with RSC and can determine from the yaw motion of the truck if the trailer is swaying and take measures – such as applying precise braking or reduced engine torque – to bring both vehicle and trailer under control.
• Integrated Trailer Brake Controller is factory-installed and allows direct operation of the trailer’s electronic brakes by squeezing the control module on the instrument panel with more confidence than the typical aftermarket system.
• Electronic Locking Differential uses a true mechanical connection to lock the left and right axle shafts together so both turn at the same speed with the same amount of torque. This switch-controlled feature maximizes traction capability at the wheel with grip, without having to stop the truck.
• Hill Descent Control on the F-150 SVT Raptor is Ford’s first application of the technology. Utilizing ABS, the driver can control hill descent without applying the brakes. The speed is set for the truck to descend the hill by pushing a button and allows for the driver to concentrate on driving, rather than on how to modulate the brakes on a steep decline.
• Off-Road Mode engages a third throttle map and a third shift schedule for improved off-road performance. Third throttle map alters the throttle by changing the driver demand table so it is better suited to high and low-speed off-road driving conditions. A third shift schedule is a unique strategy for the off-road environment that holds the transmission in each gear for a longer period of time, allowing better engine throttle modulation to control the vehicle.
• Auxiliary Switch Board on the center console makes aftermarket customization easier, with four prewired switches attached to the power distribution box for electrical accessories. Also located on the auxiliary switch board are two switches for improved off-road performance – Hill Descent Control and Off-Road Mode.

The F-150 SVT Raptor will be built along side the new F-150 at Ford’s Dearborn Truck Plant at the historic Rouge Center in Dearborn, Mich.

[Source: Ford]