FORD Australia president and CEO Andrew Birkic made a flying visit to Mildura last week to help local dealer Davison Ford promote the new line of pickup trucks.
Mr Birkic, who is based in Melbourne, is responsible for Ford’s National Sales Company in Australia and New Zealand and supports marketing, sales, service, dealer relations and customer satisfaction.
He said he enjoyed hitting the desert and thought the new Ranger Super Duty and Ranger Plug-in Hybrid models are perfect for the people of Sunraysia.
“It’s always a privilege to visit regional communities like Mildura and connect with our dealers and customers,” he said.
“The warm reception and seeing the community spirit first hand was invaluable, and great to see the work of the team at Davison Motors.”
Mr Birkic said Ford leadership believed Mildura has the perfect climate and landscape for the new cars.
“There’s been lots of interest in both the Ranger Super Duty and the Ranger Plug-In Hybrid in Mildura,” he said.
“The Super Duty, with it’s 4500 braked towing capacity and high payloads is ideal for Mildura’s strong agricultural and construction sectors, while the plug-in hybrid offers efficiency and versatility with features like Pro Power Onboard, appealing to local businesses and families.”
He said the differences between the cars is the Super Duty was designed for increased power, while the plug-in hybrid still has good towing ability with an electrical component.
“There are key differences, the Ranger Super Duty is engineered for a maximum capability, featuring a 3.0-litre V6 turbo-diesel engine, 4500 towing capacity, and 8000 kilogram gross combined mass,” he said.
“It’s built on an enhanced chassis for demanding work, while the Ranger Plug-in Hybrid combines capability with electrification, using a 2.3-litre turbocharged EcoBoost petrol engine with a 75-kilowatt electric motor and 11.8 -kilowatt-hour lithium-ion traction battery, and can tow up to 3500-kg featuring a Pro Power Onboard, almost like having an onboard generator.”
