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Today, we’ve been given our official look at the new Ford Ranger Super Duty. While the majority of the changes are under the skin, and it’s disappointing that there’s no wide-body to mimic the F-450 Super Duty, it is still shaping up to be the vehicle that hardcore off-roaders, adventure tourers, and tradies have asked for with 4,500kg Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM), 4,500kg maximum braked towing, and 8,000kg Gross Combined Mass (GCM).
That’s right, it’s the same top-selling Ford Ranger that Australians love, and features all of the Ranger’s Driver Assist Technology, safety features, versatility and capability. However, it’s been upgraded with double diff-locks, tougher low-range gears, heavy-duty axles, a 130-litre long-range fuel tank, 33-inch all-terrain tyres, and more.
The new Ford Ranger Super Duty will be available in Australia in two trim levels (Ranger Super Duty and Ranger Super Duty XLT (mid-2026)) from 2026 as either a Single, Super or Double Cab Chassis before it will be made available as a Double Cab with style-side box in mid-2026. The Ranger Super Duty XLT that’s arriving in mid-2026 will “boast unique alloy wheels and touring-focussed upgrades and will be exclusively available on Double Cab chassis and pick-up variants only,” according to Ford Australia.
What Makes the Ford Ranger Super Duty Stand Out?
Visually, the Ford Ranger Super Duty will appear similar in design to the Ranger Raptor, but sports a steel bumper and front grille. It’s equally as wide as a Raptor (2,028mm) and has the same track width due to new control arms and wider 33-inch all-terrain tyres, but its height has not yet been shared.
Overall chassis dimensions remain similar, and that means there’s no widened rear end to match the F-450 in the U.S., and no “dually” option available either. However, so much has been changed underneath the vehicle to cope with these new load ratings, and this includes a unique frame engineered to provide increased strength, performance and load-carrying capacity.
There’s a thicker frame, while suspension mounts, box mount brackets and tow bar mounts have been reinforced. Meanwhile, several enhancements to differentials and drivetrain components have occurred, but most of the changes will be found under the skin, including:
- 33-inch all-terrain tyres, 18-inch wheels
- 130-litre long-range fuel tank (standard)
- Heavy-duty axles (standard)
- Front and rear differential locks (standard)
- Sealed snorkel (standard) for improved water wading depth compared to other Rangers
- Bashplates (standard) covering:
- Engine
- Front differential and transfer case
- Transmission
- Fuel tank
- On-board scales
- Larger side mirrors
- Steel bumper and front grille
- Readily accessible mounting points
- 8-stud wheel hubs with larger bolts (standard)
“With enhanced capability and developed for hard work, we know Ranger Super Duty will be pushed to the limits on some of the toughest terrain on the planet,” said Dave Burn, chief program engineer, Ford Australia. “That’s why we made sure the underneath had high-strength protection.”
“We listened to what the hardest working fleet operators told us they needed to be more productive, and we’ve developed a Ranger with heavy-duty hardware and enhanced capability to stay on the job longer and help get it done sooner,” said Jim Baumbick, vice president, advanced product development, cycle planning and programs, Ford Motor Company. “We are taking global mid-size truck capability to a whole new level, straight from the factory.”
Notably, towing is measured at 4,500kg and changes here also include a recalibrated integrated trailer brake controller. Ranger Super Duty also gets Ranger’s Pro-Trailer Backup Assist and Smart Hitch.
What’s Under the Bonnet of the Ford Ranger Super Duty
The Ford Ranger Super Duty uses the brand’s 3.0-litre turbo diesel V6, which is calibrated for heavy-duty emissions standards with increased cooling to manage temperatures under load.
Power and torque figures have not been shared, but we expect them to be slightly down on the current model’s 184kW at 3,250rpm, and 600Nm at 1,750-2,250rpm figures as the new Super Duty is EU6.2 emissions compliant and this typically means less power.
“This drivetrain will be delivered with EU6.2 compliance for global markets, meaning Ranger Super Duty is ready to work for years to come,” said Burn.
Power is sent to the ground through a 4A (Automatic 4WD) permanent system and 10-speed automatic gearbox with stronger components, a low-range gearset to match the F-Series Super Duty, and more. “Ranger Super Duty’s two-speed transfer case features larger, stronger components than other Ranger variants for enhanced durability,” said Burn. “To ensure this truck can handle life in low-range in extreme terrain, the low-range gearset has been upgraded to match the F-Series Super Duty.”
The Super Duty Ranger will come with locking front and rear differentials as standard in all models (like the Ranger Raptor), and the front differential is a modified version of the differential in the Bronco Raptor, updated for enhanced load capacity.
“We’ve tested Ranger Super Duty in extreme conditions where a vehicle with open differentials would have become stuck and unable to proceed but thanks to a locking front and rear differential and an enhanced low-range gearset and a host of other off-road capability improvements, Ranger Super Duty performed flawlessly,” said Burn.
Back to emissions for a second, because you’ll be able to delay the automatic diesel particulate filter (DPF) regeneration and then manually initiate the cleaning at a time that suits you. “While a DPF is part of the emissions management system, being able to delay and then manually initiate a DPF clean will be a useful feature for those customers who operate in a high fire risk environment,” continued Burn.
The Ranger Super Duty will feature six selectable drive modes (Normal, Eco, Tow/Haul, Mud/Ruts, Sand and Rock Crawl) and adjust vehicle settings that include throttle and transmission response and stability control for offroad use.
Just How Tough is the New Ford Ranger Super Duty?
“We torture test our trucks to earn the name Super Duty,” he continued. “For instance, to make sure Ranger Super Duty is ready for almost any work environment, we created an even tougher mud pack test to simulate mine work. Ranger Super Duty had to continue working, even with 600 kilograms of mud stuck to the bottom of the truck.”
So tough was some of the testing on the rocky dry riverbeds of Silver Creek, at the brand’s You Yangs Proving Ground, that autonomous driving robots were used to run the vehicles 24 hours, 7 days a week. “Our Silver Creek and autonomous driving robots were designed and developed in North America for the testing and development of the original F-Series Super Duty and have been a part of global Built Ford Tough testing ever since,” said Baumbick.
This is on top of the usual durability tests that included 24/7 corrosion baths, towing dynos, shaker rig testing, extreme real-world off-roading, and more low-speed, low-range heavy load driving.
When is the Ford Ranger Super Duty Coming to Australia?
Ordering for Ranger Super Duty in Australia and New Zealand opens later this year with arrivals in dealerships expected in 2026.
As we mentioned at the top of this article, the new Ford Ranger Super Duty will be available in Australia in two trim levels, Ranger Super Duty will come first before Ranger Super Duty XLT arrives in mid-2026.
It will be available in 2026 as either a Single, Super or Double Cab Chassis before it’s made available as a Double Cab with style-side box in mid-2026.
