A new variant of the Ranger Family has been the talk of the town lately and for good reason. A reader of CarsGuide has spotted a 2024 Ford Ranger Dual Cab with an Extended Wheelbase near the Ford proving grounds in Geelong. And is anticipated to have a North American debut sometime in 2024 and in Australia as well – YAY!.
With its longer wheelbase, extended cabin roofline, wider rear doors, and stretched rear tub, this dual-cab prototype is expected to offer a roomier cabin and maybe even more goodies but most of it is speculation at the moment.
Trayon Campers has also taken notice of this new model and is keeping a close eye on its development. It could solve a big problem for many of our customers which we will touch on later in this article.
However, as it is still in its prototype stage, it is not certain when and if it will be released in Australia. Some are dubbing this as the Ford Ranger XXL or the Ford Ranger SuperCrew and would fill the gap between the Ranger and F-150, offering a spacious family-friendly ute while still offering the tray size of a extra cab ute without sacrificing legroom with proper payload capacities and diesel engine options seeing as the F150 will only be petrol and it has a laughable payload capacity.
In this article, we will cover the impact of extended wheelbase in Australia and why it got our attention.
The Impact of Extended Wheel Bases in Australia
At Trayon Campers, we are no strangers to extending the wheelbases of the utes of our customers who request it. We partner with one of the best vehicle engineers in Queensland to get it done quite frequently.
Many customers opt for aftermarket chassis extensions, almost entirely only for dual cab utes.
But why?
Well, in a recent article where we spoke with one expert Hugh from Limitless Chassis about chassis extensions for dual cab utes, (a highly recommended read) he mentioned there are usually only two reasons people extend their chassis, and they are:
- to increase towing stability under heavy loads and improve handling and braking, and
- to have a bigger camper and maximize the load area for a full-size single cab slide-on camper or canopy while still having a stable and comfortable ride. (hidden reason)
But the number one reason for talking to our customers is that most of them are either becoming or are already grandparents or need to take more than 2 passengers on occasion.
Having a dual cab gives people that piece of mind, however, at the same time they want a full-size camper (like the Trayon 1980 which is usually meant for extra-cab or single-cab vehicles). By getting a small chassis extension; they no longer have to compromise between having passengers and a full size camper, so they can have the best of both worlds.
Normally most would just buy an extra-cab vehicle for this purpose but with the D-max and BT-50 sisters not having rear seats in their extra-cab variants (known as a Space-cab and a Freestyle-cab in the brands respectively) and Ford still refusing to put the V6 Diesel engine into their extra-cab variant (known as a Super-cab) – choices are limited.
But imagine if people could buy a solid vehicle that is already the exact length they need to carry 5 passengers and a full size camper off the factory floor with a full factory warranty.
Pictures of the Ford Ranger Dual-Cab Extended Wheelbase
Not much is known about the extended-wheelbase ranger but we think there is a high chance it will make it onto our roads in Australia in 2024, that said; it is just speculation based on rumours circulating online.
We weren’t able to use any of the source pictures, but you can follow the link to CarsGuide to see the prototype in patchwork camouflage.
However, we were able to put together some of our own renders of what we think the vehicle might look like in a few different scenes.
Keep in mind that these in no way reflect what the actual production model will look like!
This is nothing new
Both the VW Amarok and the LDV were offered at one time with longer wheelbase options in a dual-cab but what they both failed to realise at the start was that it is somewhat pointless to increase the payload area if you don’t increase the payload capacities, the Amarok stretches now finally come with GVM upgrade options.
The current model Musso can be bought in a stretch but only with a 110mm longer wheelbase – however, this does include a larger payload capacity in what they call the XLV option which looks to be a factory built option; 110mm is a bit short of the proposed 300mm that the new stretched Ranger looks to have but it’s a start.
Conversely, the Amarok’s factory chassis was modified with a 320mm or 660mm stretch by a VW certified second stage manufacturer here in Australia to achieve this whereas it appears the new stretched Ranger will not be modified after manufacturing – it looks like Ford will make it longer themselves from the start.
Now that the new 2023 Ford Ranger can get a few upgrades from aftermarket providers as second stage manufacturing or state upgrades, hopefully, Ford will already have this new stretched Ranger sold with an increased GVM right out of the box. A stretched V6 Dual-cab XLT cab/chassis with a 3650kg GVM sounds about right on the money for someone wanting a capable slide-on carrying ute for touring but also to use for work and play.
With the lackluster options in what we see on the ute market these days and how Ford is taking on the demands of their customers and running with it – we are fairly confident that they are the company to get this right.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the recently spotted Ford Ranger Dual Cab with an extended wheelbase has caught the attention of many in Australia, particularly those at Trayon Campers. The extended wheelbase is seen as a solution for many customers who require a dual cab for carrying passengers, but also want a full-size camper. The new model is expected to offer a roomier cabin and a longer tray area. Although it is still in its prototype stage and its release in Australia is uncertain, the extended wheelbase is a highly anticipated development. Let’s all hope they read this article and take it into consideration – if so; “hey Ford, don’t forget to offer the SuperCrew in a cab/chassis as well please”
We are getting a faint whiff of something even better behind this stretched prototype in that the rumour mill is saying there might be something even more impressive to roll out of the Ford R&D plant in Australia on the back of this SuperCrew variant and possibly even using it as the base. Something that will be a proper ute, one that may just redefine the ute market altogether. We say bring it on, but we are also cautious of rumors.
Join our newsletter for more 4WD news for camping in Australia and stay updated on the latest developments in the world of 4WD and camping. Stay tuned for more updates and developments on the Ford Ranger Dual Cab with an extended wheelbase.
