First 2023 Ranger prototype spotted!! [UPDATED with more close-up photos]

[Administrator]

We bring you the very first shots of the all-new 2023 Ford Ranger as it underwent testing on public roads in Dearborn.

Overall, the next-gen Ranger looks more substantial than the current model, with bolder proportions and stance. The front fascia seems to match up perfectly to the leaked image from roughly a year ago, with a set of intricate C-shaped headlamps flanking a two-bar grille.

The cab and bed appear to be close to those from the current Ranger. The prototype is riding on a set of black wheels, and a single-exit exhaust can be seen out back, though it seems that the rather unattractive pipe is a placeholder for more gainly equipment.

The 2023 Ranger is expected to launch near the end of the 2022 model year and will serve as the basis for an upcoming Volkswagen midsize pickup truck as a result of a collaboration agreement between Ford and VW announced in 2020.

[UPDATED 1/12/21 WITH CLOSE-UP PHOTOS]

[ORIGINAL PHOTOS]

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[wolfhawk73]

While nearly everyone is drooling over the new Bronco, I'm lusting after this thing. I hope the manual from the Bronco is available, even if it's just with the 2.3EB.

Hell, Ford will probably deliver one of these before anyone gets a Bronco.

 

[Trigganometry]

Looks like a mini F150 from body shape. Headlights look flat like old style. I’m thinking if that’s the way it’s going to look glad I got a 2020 then!

 

[Patriot]

Edge of the headlights seems to allude to the design that was leaked out of Australia last year.

 

[PC74]

WHO IS THAT MASKED MAN DRIVING THIS THING??
See what I did there? Mask? Pandemi ... okay sorry I work from home and don't talk to people much anymore.

Sign me up for this. I follow all the Bronco stuff too and love what they're doing with that but I am even more excited about this!

 

[PC74]

What's up with the long-ass tailpipe? Seems to deviate from what we have now ... New motor? Certainly different exhaust.

 

[Garman19]

Man oh man, I so wanted to buy a 2020 Ranger Lariat, 9k off sticker, beautiful rapid red, I thought the interior was good enough. But the test drive killed the deal, brakes were way to soft, petal depressed at least 2 to 3 inches before any braking and seemed to almost go to the floor. But the ride quality, the side to side wallowing I just couldn't take. FX package shocks incredibly bad for an off road package. Haven't bought anything yet, might go 2021 F 150, unless the 2022 Rangers are leaked soon enough. Off topic sorry

 

[Steve Boehm]

This is what I have my eye on. I really like the current-gen Ranger, but I just can't get past the old platform and old technology.
I hope they offer something like the Tremor package on this one too. Maybe they'll follow the package groups the Bronco offers?

And now I wait.

 

[wolfhawk73]

Man oh man, I so wanted to buy a 2020 Ranger Lariat, 9k off sticker, beautiful ruby red, I thought the interior was good enough. But the test drive killed the deal, brakes were way to soft, petal depressed at least 2 to 3 inches before any braking and seemed to almost go to the floor. But the ride quality, the side to side wallowing I just couldn't take. FX package shocks incredibly bad for an off road package. Haven't bought anything yet, might go 2021 F 150, unless the 2022 Rangers are leaked soon enough. Off topic sorry

A lot of folks have said that at Ranger5g. The solution, apparently, is the Fox 2.0 shocks. Huge difference. Maybe they'll be an option, though with a change of chassis maybe the ride will just naturally be better.

I have a feeling, though, that the truck you were driving had overinflated tires. I test drove one, too, and that's what it felt like. The tires didn't bow out at the bottom at all like most normally do, so that was what I suspected.

Maybe we'll get lucky and get coil springs in the rear like the Bronco, but those last two pics have what look like the tips of u-bolts hanging down. Boo.

 

[Carmaker1]

We bring you the very first shots of the all-new 2023 Ford Ranger as it underwent testing on public roads in Dearborn.

Overall, the next-gen Ranger looks more substantial than the current model, with bolder proportions and stance. The front fascia seems to match up perfectly to the leaked image from roughly a year ago, with a set of intricate C-shaped headlamps flanking a two-bar grille.

The cab and bed appear to be close to those from the current Ranger. The prototype is riding on a set of black wheels, and a single-exit exhaust can be seen out back, though it seems that the rather unattractive pipe is a placeholder for more gainly equipment.

The 2023 Ranger is expected to launch near the end of the 2022 model year and will serve as the basis for an upcoming Volkswagen midsize pickup truck as a result of a collaboration agreement between Ford and VW announced in 2020.

That is just not accurate, because those photos were taken exactly TWO YEARS, NOT ONE. I say that, because it gives a very false impression of the product development going on behind the scenes with P703.

P703 design approval was 2 years ago at that point in time, which is why you saw such a leak and the associated corporate anger at the leak, resulted in extreme hiding of U725 VP1s all of 2019.

It has been withheld from exposure just the same, which COVID-19 negatively affected. New Ranger will now launch close to global truck, at Wayne Plant. I know Job 1 now, but can't disclose it, because I don't want to risk being the sole source of such information.

Edge of the headlights seems to allude to the design that was leaked out of Australia last year.

Wasn't "last year", it's actually been 2 full years. That was shown in a local Australian clinic in January 2019.

When I told many of the folks on Bronco6G that the U725 and CX430 final designs were completed in mid-2018, they didn't want to believe me.

Development takes a very long time, that what is new today, was fully drafted in that same shape years ago by our design team. The next Ranger design was approved by management half a year after the Bronco. The first P703 VP1s were built months ago.

 

[Bryan Fletcher]

The leaked photos from a couple years ago looks more like the new Maverick that had pics just leak out. The headlights on the leaked photo and the Maverick are identical. The headlights on this spy pic are not even close and have a stacked headlamp much like the new F-150s

 

[Steve Boehm]

I know Job 1 now, but can't disclose it, because I don't want to risk being the sole source of such information.

What is "Job 1"?

 

[Fattirz in NC]

Hopefully this next 6th generation will offer a SuperCrew/Longbed (6 foot) configuration!!! Ford is the only BoF midsize not to offer this configuration and the only reason I’m not driving a Ranger now (my current truck is a ‘02 F-150 Lariat SuperCrew)

I don’t want a full size and I don’t want a shorter bed than the 5 1/2 foot box I have now. Even if they extend the wheelbase long enough to put the 6’ bed (already made for use on the extended cab), it would still be much shorter in length and wheelbase than a SuperCrew F-150 with short box (5 1/2’).

Ford, you’re missing out on market share because of this literal shortcoming. The lack of this configuration among other options are almost forcing me into a Tacoma, GM twin or the upcoming new Frontier.

Frustrated in Charlotte, -Brian

 

[Gerder]

Looks as if they learned that the brakes are far too weak and put some bigger ones on. Good move But i ll kept my 2018 until 2030. Minimum! So the 7th gen would be my deal... probably.

 

[Administrator]

UPDATE:

We've captured additional close-up photos of the 2023 Ranger prototype which show details of the front end, headlights and suspension bits.

See the top of the first post for additional pics.

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