Hardcore Ford Ranger Super Duty locked-in for 2026

Ford has revealed that it is gearing up to launch a rugged Ranger Super Duty model that will offer a 4500kg GVM, 4500kg towing capacity, and a whopping 8000kg GCM, putting it on par with many light-duty trucks.

While details are still thin on the ground, this heavy duty Ranger will be the first ever non-F-Series model to wear the venerable Super Duty nameplate.

For the uninitiated, the Super Duty badge has been around since the late 90s when Ford started applying it to beefed-up F-Series models ranging from the F-250 to F-600. The Super Duty trucks typically have heavy-duty chassis and driveline components to handle greater GVMs, towing and payload demands.

Ford Australia outlined that the Ranger Super Duty was born out of direct collaboration with local fleet customers who wanted an off-road-capable midsize ute that could do more, targeted at industries like emergency services, mining, utilities, forestry and more.

“Ranger Super Duty blends the smart features and advanced safety of our award-winning Ranger with heavy-duty capability and delivers what our buyers told us they needed but couldn’t get anywhere else,” Sondra Sutton Phung, General Manager, Global Truck, Ford Motor Company said.

“This work-ready vehicle will give owners the flexibility they need to get the big jobs done, with the confidence of a factory-backed warranty.”

Ford’s IMG Product Development team is developing the new model, led by 1500 designers, engineers and specialists based here in Australia, while manufacturing will take place in Thailand where the Ranger lineup is currently built.

Based on the numbers revealed, Ford appears to have leapfrogged the 1500-class ute segment altogether, also leaving the traditional dual-cab ute market in its dust, instead taking the fight to light-duty truck makers like Isuzu, Hino and Iveco with a ute capable of towing as much as an F-Series but likely to eclipse its carrying capacity.

Ford has not revealed the Ranger Super Duty’s maximum payload, but based on its 4500kg GVM it is likely to be up around the two-tonne mark depending on how much weight is added when beefing up the chassis and driveline – assuming it’ll be toughened up in a similar manner to its full-size US counterparts.

The good news for the off-road world, and commercial customers too, is that Ford Australia has said it is working with modifiers in the lead up to the 2026 launch. Whether this means it’ll launch with strong aftermarket support is not yet known, but this is likely given Ford’s recent work with ARB and others.

“Ranger Super Duty further strengthens our commercial vehicle portfolio, with an offering for all kinds of work,” Andrew Birkic, President and CEO, Ford Australia and New Zealand said.

“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.”

While little is known about specifications of the Ranger Super Duty, the weight figures suggest it could be a formidable force in off-road touring circles where Toyota currently holds a monopoly with its 79 Series LandCruiser.

Despite the widespread GVM upgrade options available, achieving even close to a 4500kg GVM with a 79-Series LandCruiser, or any other ute option for that matter, will cost you dearly. Not to mention, most GVM upgrades aren’t factory-backed.

There may finally be an off-the-shelf solution for GVM-hungry Aussie tourers when the Ranger Super Duty arrives in 2026 – but until we know more about the specifications of the new model we can only cross our fingers and hope.