As we’re sitting here, quietly waiting for the all-new Ranger to be revealed, Ford of Brazil took the covers off a value-oriented trim level of the outgoing Ranger. “Black” is how this truck is called, and it’s an “urban pickup with a robust and sophisticated design,” according to Ford.
The first 100 units sold out in less than 24 hours, which is pretty surprising for the Blue Oval in Brazil. "This speed of sales represents a very promising start, showing that it’s the right product with the right positioning," said pickup marketing manager Antonio Freitas. “Customers have recognized that it has attractive content and excellent value for money,” he signed off.
Priced from 179,900 reais or $31,115 at current exchange rates, the Black rocks a black grille, side mirrors, door handles, wheels, roof rails, and paint. The monochromatic look carries over to the interior where you will also find a bit of silver garnish on the air vents and steering wheel.
Leather seats are standard, along with SYNC 3 infotainment in the guise of an 8.0-inch touchscreen display that knows how to Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Dual-zone air conditioning, stability and traction control, seven airbags, and adaptive cruise control come standard too.
Other highlights include trailer sway control and FordPass Connect with a Wi-Fi hotspot, 4G LTE connectivity, and remote start. The first 100 units of the Black also get an extras kit worth 10,000 reais ($1,730) that consists of an electric hard tonneau cover, bed liner, and cargo net.
As opposed to U.S. models, the automatic transmission in the Black features six forward ratios. That’s because Ford of Brazil still uses the 2.2-liter Duratorq four-cylinder turbo diesel, an engine that’s been phased out from the European lineup in favor of the 2.0-liter EcoBlue.
In this application, the compression-ignition plant develops 158 horsepower and 284 pound-feet (385 Nm) of torque. Meant for on-road driving rather than off-road ventures, the Black comes exclusively with rear-wheel drive.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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