If you’re seriously contemplating a new Ford Ranger pick-up, the best advice is to sign up a bit sharpish.
 
Mark Easton, Ranger’s product manager, explains: “For anyone ordering a particular Ranger spec today, we’re looking at an April build slot in the South African factory and then delivery to the customer ten weeks after that. Effectively, they’re unlikely to see the vehicle until the end of June.”
 
Mr Easton is keen to point out, however, that customer deliveries will improve through 2012, largely due to steadily rising stock levels in the UK as factory production of Ranger is ramped up. “The likelihood of a customer finding a Ranger of his preferred spec already here in the UK, rather than having to put in his own completely new order, will definitely increase as the population of vehicles in the UK dealer network starts to grow. But this process takes time.”
 
Main reason for the Ranger logjam so far has been political uncertainty and unforeseen climatic issues in Thailand, from where the South African factory sources many of the Ranger’s components. Thankfully this situation is now largely resolved, hence Mr Easton’s optimism concerning future vehicle supply.
 
For those unfamiliar with the new Ranger, the pick-up officially went on UK sale in November 2011 and is a completely different vehicle to its long-serving predecessor, both in terms of styling and its on-/off-road performance. Incidentally, the Ranger first appeared in the UK way back in 1998.
 
To look at, the new Ranger is wider and longer – indeed it’s now claimed to be the longest pick-up in its class – and boasts a dramatically more imposing physical presence. Where the old model was all straight lines, van bland and decidedly utilitarian, the new Ranger has curves, a steeply raked windscreen and, by every imaginable parameter, is very much the modern pick-up. Ford recognised that it had to radically rejuvenate its staid pick-up image if it was to improve on its current number five ranking in the UK pick-up market – behind the likes of Mitsubishi, Nissan and Toyota, and on a par with Isuzu. And, with the new vehicle, Ford has done just that.
 
We’ll be driving the new Ranger in a few weeks, but, to give just a spec flavour of what’s on offer, the vehicle is listed in four body configurations – single cab, super cab, double cab and chassis cab – and in four spec levels: XL, XLT, Limited and the top-spec Wildtrak. There are three diesel engine sizes (2.2-litre 120PS four-cyl, 2.2-litre 150PS four-cyl and 3.2-litre 200PS five-cyl), two transmissions (six-speed auto and six-speed manual) and, perhaps most impressively, the models likely to appeal to farmers come with a sophisticated Electronic Stability Program (ESP) that, amongst other features, includes Hill Descent Control and Trailer Sway Control. And on the subject of towing, those who regularly haul big loads will be interested to learn that the Ranger is rated to tug a maximum of 3,340kg, which is just 160kg less than a Land Rover Discovery but some way ahead of the Ranger's double-cab rivals for whom the norm is typically 2,500-3,000kg.
 
On price, the new Ranger is pitched at a similar level to the main competition, starting from £21,434 (incl VAT) for a base XL double-cab and rising to £29,134 (incl VAT) for a top-spec Wildtrak auto. The most popular model is likely to be a 150PS Limited double-cab manual at £25,534 (incl VAT).
 
For a drive of the new Ranger, keep checking the magazine. We’re planning to pit a higher spec model against one of its Japanese competitors later this year.