ford ranger 1024x 1pkr
Bruce Newton18 Sept 2020
NEWS

Next Ford Ranger has "advantage" over new VW Amarok

Blue oval’s new Aussie boss explains why co-developed utes don’t start equal

The next-generation Ford Ranger and Volkswagen Amarok utes are being co-developed, but Ford Australia’s new president Andrew Birkic says the blue oval brand’s pick-up will have the upperhand.

Birkic has just stepped into the top job at Ford Australia (and New Zealand), replacing the peripatetic Kay Hart, who is off to Europe.

But prior to his new gig Birkic was the global chief product marketer for the Ford Ranger – and its SUV off-shoot, the Everest SUV.

That meant planning out the role and content of the T7 Ranger for its 180-plus global markets, including Australia, which is its development homeroom as well as one of its most successful markets.

“That’s what I have done for the last 20 months every day of my life,” he told carsales in an exclusive interview.

While the current T6 Ranger launched in 2011 was a stand-alone vehicle, Volkswagen is developing the second-generation Amarok pick-up from the T7 architecture, as part of a widespread product and technology agreement that will spawn the new Ranger in 2021-22.

2020 ford ranger xl 4x4 special edition lightbar

Birkic says he has no idea what content the Amarok will have, but he is confident Ford starts from a better position because the new Ranger is the core vehicle.

“We have a luxury, we have an advantage, we have a head start over them [Volkswagen],” Birkic said.

“We have a really strong history and we have a really strong global play with Ranger. So I think for us it is how do we keep improving and raising the bar, whereas for them I think it’s a different play.”

The first-generation Volkswagen Amarok is also a stand-alone product and has been successful in Australia. Birkic predicted VW would bring its own flavour to the T7-based successor.

“I think Amarok has a different positioning and I have no idea how they will position it.

“They will bring a different dynamic,” Birkic added.

“I know what the core DNA of Ranger is and I know who the customer is and I know what motivates them.

“I think I know what they are looking for and our role at Ford is to be authentic to that Ranger customer.”

There has been an enormous amount of speculation about the T7 Ranger (pictured here in our digital rendering) and how it will evolve from the T6. Relying on informed sources, we previously outlined its links with the latest Ford F-150 full-size pick-up here.

Obviously, Birkic knows exactly what is going on with T7 but he isn’t about to give hints, except in the most general terms.

“What I can share with you is the philosophy around continuous improvement. If you are going to be a successful player in 180 countries – and also be true to the core DNA of Ranger – then you have to push.

2020 ford ranger tailgate

“The bar is set high, the expectations are set high.

“I think from an innovation perspective I can assure you there’s been lots of energy put into ... how we push the needle.

“I look forward to that day when we can sit down and show you the next truck and I’m sure it will put a smile of your face.”

Birkic portrayed the responsibility of the new Ranger to improve and evolve the pick-up breed in the same way the T6 did in 2011.

“It [T6] has been very successful in that manner of doing a lot of things very well and … being a pioneer in terms of pushing past the traditional pick-up or ute,” he said.

“Whilst I believe the Ranger is a very capable truck in terms of its core attributes and DNA, it’s really a pioneer in pushing – whether it’s the Wildtrak or Raptor – into a different state. It’s grown the segment, it’s grown the share.

“Think Wildtrak, five-star safety, our towing. Some of the things we did back in 2011 were class-leading and since then some of the competition has certainly improved and caught up in certain areas.”

Nine years on, the latest iteration of the T6 Ford Ranger Wildtrak came out on top in a comparison against the updated 2021 Toyota HiLux and new-generation Isuzu D-MAX.

“Your comparison is a fine example that the bar is raising,” said Birkic. “From our perspective we are OK with the competition – that’s a healthy thing for the customer and the industry.

“What we need to do is be ahead of that.”

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