(September 20, 2010) SYDNEY —  Ford is preparing to take the wraps off a redesigned, new-generation compact pickup developed in Australia for sale in 180 global markets. The new Ranger, unfortunately for North American buyers, will not be offered in the U.S. or Canada.

The worldwide premiere of the all-new Ford Ranger is a highlight of this year’s Australian International Motor Show, where it will be unveiled on Oct. 15.

The all-new Ranger is the latest in a wave of global products driven by the ONE Ford strategy. Designed and engineered at Ford’s Campbellfield product development and Geelong proving ground facilities, the new Ranger is based on a new global compact truck platform.

“Australia has played a leading role in the development of this latest global Ford product,” said Joe Hinrichs, president, Ford Asia Pacific and Africa. “Ranger is symbolic of how our great product development capability is being leveraged by the ONE Ford plan like never before.”

"The new design of the all-new Ford Ranger establishes a powerful presence on the motor show stage. It will be the first time for the public to see the next-generation Ford compact pickup without its camouflage."

New Ranger prototypes — disguised under heavy black padding, tape and decals to obscure their true identity — have been shot by automotive spy photographers all over the world, as development units clocked more than 1 million kilometres of testing in the toughest conditions, from the Outback to the deserts of the Middle East to the Alps in Europe.

From gains in power and fuel economy — the result of its new engine family — to outstanding pickup truck capability that includes exceptional towing and payload capacity, the next-generation Ford Ranger emerges as a clear segment leader., Ford says. "It not only builds on the Ranger heritage of capability, but it also gives owners a spacious, comfortable, feature-filled interior and sophisticated driving experience that they would expect only from a car."

The new Ranger’s powertrains are expected to include 2.2-liter four-cylinder and 3.2-liter five-cylinder diesels, a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter four-cylinder Duratec gas engine, and possibly a 2.0-liter four-cylinder EcoBoost.