- Ford will introduce a tougher Super Duty trim of the Ranger in 2026.
- The midsize pickup promises a towing capacity of 4,500 kg (9,921 lbs).
- It was developed in Australia and will be offered in global markets.
Update 11/28: Ford has dropped another teaser of the upcoming Range Super Duty, this time focusing on the wheels that are sourced from the F-250.
Ford continues to expand its mid-size Ranger lineup in Australia with the addition of a tougher, more capable Super Duty trim. Set to debut in 2026, the Ranger Super Duty promises significantly enhanced towing and cargo-carrying capacities, elevating it well above the standard model.
The “Super Duty” badge has long been reserved for Ford’s full-size bruisers like the F-250, F-350, and F-450, equipped with V8 powertrains. This will be the first time the Blue Oval uses it on the smaller Ranger, hinting at a new work-focused flagship trim.
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The Ranger Super Duty’s front end gets a wider grille with a distinctive new pattern, a redesigned hood with cleaner lines, and beefy fender extensions. There’s a very good chance that some of these design tweaks, apart from bolstering its muscular stance, could trickle down to the broader Ranger range during its mid-cycle update.
In another teaser, Ford revealed that the Ranger Super Duty borrows the wheels from the much larger F-250 Super Duty. More specifically, the truck rides on 18-inch steel wheels with eight-stud wheel hubs, which are shod in 33-inch all-terrain rubber. The video shows the new Ranger trim being tested in rough terrain, hinting at improved off-road capabilities.
Drew O’Shannassy, Ranger Super Duty Engineering Program Supervisor, said: “The eight-stud configuration offers a significant advantage in terms of load capacity and ensures an even distribution of weight across the wheel.”, adding “The wheel and tyre we’ve selected provide a great combination of strength, grip and reliability that our hard-working customers need.”
Beefed-Up Capability
The Ranger Super Duty’s brawnier looks will be backed up by a notable increase in capability. According to Ford, it will feature a maximum braked towing capacity of 4,500 kg (9,921 lbs), an increase of 1,000 kg (2,205 lbs) over the standard Ranger and a full 2,000 kg (4,409 lbs) more than the Raptor’s towing capacity.
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For perspective, the US-spec Ford F-150 offers a towing range of 3,720 to 6,124 kg (8,200 to 13,500 lbs) depending on configuration. While the Ranger Super Duty doesn’t eclipse the F-150’s upper limits, it comes pretty close for a smaller truck.
Heavyweight Credentials
The truck’s gross vehicle mass (GVM) is capped at 4,500 kg (9,921 lbs)—the maximum allowable for passenger vehicles in Australia, while its gross combined mass (GCM) comes in at a hefty 8,000 kg (17,637 lbs). These figures strongly suggest the presence of a more powerful engine under the hood, likely accompanied by some chassis upgrades.
While Ford remains tight-lipped about specifics, speculation points to the Ranger Super Duty being equipped with the twin-turbo 3.0-liter V6 from the Raptor or potentially the larger 3.5-liter V6 borrowed from the F-150.
Ford Ranger Super Duty
The Super Duty trim was developed by Ford’s Australian IMG Product Development team, working closely with fleet customers to tailor the truck to professional needs. According to Ford, the target audience includes a broad range of industries, such as emergency service operators, farmers, utility and forestry workers, miners, and infrastructure technicians, essentially anyone requiring a rugged and reliable workhorse.
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Andrew Birkic, CEO of Ford Australia and New Zealand, emphasized this focus, stating: “[The] Ranger Super Duty further strengthens our commercial vehicle portfolio, with an offering for all kinds of work. As we move closer to launch, we will continue to work closely with fleets and vehicle modifiers across Australia to be sure that Ranger Super Duty does everything they expect it to, and so much more.”
It’s Not Coming To The USA
Manufacturing for the Ranger Super Duty will take place in Thailand, with Australia set to be the first market to receive the model in 2026. Ford has confirmed that the truck will be available in “markets around the world,” but as the company clarified to us, North America won’t be one of them.
