17 hours ago
10
The UK will receive a seemingly odd version of the Ford Ranger dual-cab ute that deletes the rear seats to allow buyers a unique tax concession.
Ford has released a unique version of the Ranger dual-cab ute in the United Kingdom, ditching the rear seats but keeping the doors to create the Double Cab 2-Seat body style available initially in Wildtrak trim.
According to Ford, the Ranger two-seat isn't just a modified Ranger but a dedicated variant designed to transport goods and has been engineered specifically to handle the extra weight in that area.
A heavy-duty partition has been installed behind the front seats to separate the areas. Heavy-duty flooring with anchor points has also been installed to allow tool boxes and equipment to be locked in or tied down.
The windows on the rear doors have been replaced with aluminum panels, while the rear glass has been protected with mesh.
A durable tub-liner has been fitted to the Wildtrak 2-Seat's tub, allowing two usable workspaces. The electric roller cover, standard on Australian Ranger Wildtrak vehicles, remains an option for the Ranger two-seater in the UK.
It will be available in either plug-in hybrid or diesel powertrains, the former fitted with the 2.3-litre turbocharged four-cylinder EcoBoost petrol engine paired to a 75kW electric motor for a 207kW and 697Nm combined output.
The diesel option features the ever-popular 3.0-litre V6 turbo diesel, which produces 177kW/600Nm (down from 184kW/600Nm of Australian versions). Both engine options are matched to the 10-speed torque converter automatic.
Unlike Australia's obsession with utes, the UK leans towards vans and smaller commercial options for trade businesses, and this variant of the Ranger is designed to blend the model's capability with region-specific tax benefits.
Buying the Ranger 2-Seat allows eligible customers to claim the 100 per cent Plant and Machinery allowance, while also being able to apply the Flat Rate Company Van benefit-in-kind (BIK), which has been designed to save on tax.
It is unlikely that Ford Australia will sell this option locally, due to the different needs of our market, but the variant is available for UK customers to register their interest now.
Matt Adams recently graduated from Charles Sturt University in Bathurst, a perfect place to go to uni if you are a Bathurst 1000 and general racing diehard. During this time, he worked at the university's community radio station and newsroom, where he found his love for news and presenting. Matt also enjoys driving his '3 on the tree' 1962 Holden EJ station wagon around with his family, but still hasn't figured out how to double shuffle yet.
