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Brawn to be Wild: New Ranger MS-RT Adds Street Appeal and Muscular Design to Best-Selling Pick-up

ByDave Stopher

Feb 15, 2021 #Ford

Ford has introduced an exclusive new model of the award-winning Ranger pick-up, developed in partnership with vehicle design specialists MS-RT.

The new Ranger MS-RT combines a motorsport-inspired appearance with a premium specification and unique, hand-finished detailing, offering customers a high-end, street-focused version of Europe’s best-selling pick-up that sits alongside the desert-race-influenced Ford Ranger Raptor at the pinnacle of the Ranger line-up.

The new vehicle is derived from the Ranger Wildtrak, sharing its generous equipment list and one-tonne payload. Ranger MS-RT will be available at Ford dealers from summer 2021.

Ranger MS-RT’s unique exterior includes a hand-built front fascia featuring a honeycomb carbon fibre-effect grille and integrated fog lights. The striking side profile adds to the sporty character while 20-inch OZ Racing alloy wheels, extended wheel arches and sculpted side skirts create a purposeful stance. Frozen White, Sea Grey or Agate Black paints emphasise the imposing styling, embellished by carbon fibre-effect mirror caps, an aerodynamic load bar and MS‑RT badges.

Inside, the cabin features premium leather trim with contrast orange stitching. Ambient lighting and heated front seats create a comfortable environment, while MS-RT detailing for floor mats and scuff plates adds a bespoke feel. Ford’s SYNC 3 connectivity and navigation system with 8-inch touchscreen simplifies access to communication and entertainment features, and the rear-view camera 2 helps when parking or hitching to a trailer.

“Ranger MS-RT is designed for customers who value Ranger’s hard-working capability but want the racing pedigree and hand-finished exclusivity of our MS-RT series”, said Brendan Lyne, director, Commercial Vehicles, Ford of Europe. “This eye-catching vehicle blends Ford’s decades of success in pick-up trucks with striking motorsport-inspired design to offer a road-focused truck combining immense kerb appeal with the hard-working ability that our customers love.”

Ford’s range-topping Bi-turbo 213PS 2.0-litre EcoBlue diesel engine delivers outstanding performance and pulling power while also offering car-like refinement and optimised fuel efficiency.

Fitted with the advanced 10‑speed automatic transmission shared with the Ford Mustang sports car, the powertrain delivers 213PS and 500Nm of torque to move payloads of up to 1,098kg and a towing weight of 3,500kg. Ranger’s selectable four-wheel drive system is retained for optimum traction off-road, while a Maxhaust app-controlled soundbox is available as a dealer-fit option for customers desiring a sporty soundtrack.

MS-RT is a Qualified Vehicle Modifier working with established Ford motorsport partner M-Sport, applying World Rally Championship-winning experience to create strikingly modified versions of Ford’s market-leading commercial vehicles.

As the latest vehicle in Ford’s One-Stop Shop, Ranger MS-RT joins an exciting range of conversions built to exacting factory standards and available directly through Ford dealers, including the Transit Custom and Transit Connect MS-RT vans, and Transit Custom Nugget camper van.