Ford UK has added a sportier MS-RT edition of the Ranger PHEV to its line-up, but Australia looks likely to go without.
Ford may already have the Ranger Raptor as its flagship ute in Australia, but overseas, there’s another sport ute option.
Rally and motorsport engineering firm, M-Sport (no relation to BMW’s M Sport division), has revealed a retuned plug-in hybrid version of the Ranger.
The Ranger PHEV MS-RT follows in the footsteps of the diesel Ranger MS-RT with reworked styling, wider bodywork, and a more road-focused suspension overhaul.
The Ranger MS-RT (which stands for M-Sport Road Technology) starts like as a regular Ranger PHEV, before undergoing a substantial makeover at the hands of M-Sport in the UK.
Changes include a 40mm wider front and rear track on each side, and suspension that has been lowered by 40mm, with revised dampers to suit.
From the outside, the Ranger MS-RT gets unique body styling, including wider front and rear guards to accommodate the widened track and front guard vents with a lower outlet behind the front wheels.
A new front bumper, black honeycomb grille, integrated front, side, and rear skirts, a rooftop spoiler, and a duckbill spoiler on the tailgate complete the motorsport-inspired restyle.
While the suspension, handling, and styling have been treated to a thorough overhaul, the powertrain is listed with combined outputs of 207kW and 697Nm.
Those outputs are unchanged from the regular Ranger PHEV, both in the UK and Australia, with a 138kW/411Nm 2.3-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol engine and 75kW electric motor providing motivation.
M-Sport also offers options, including Eco-Leather seat trim, power-folding side steps, and an MS-RT decal package.
Despite UK-delivered Ford Rangers coming from the same South African factory as the Ranger PHEV in Australia, don’t expect to see the Ranger MS-RT in Aussie showrooms any time soon.
A spokesperson for Ford Australia told Drive, "We have no news to share regarding the Ranger MS-RT PHEV for Australia."
With M-Sport completing the MS-RT’s bodywork modifications and suspension upgrades off the factory line, and at its own assembly facility located at Ford’s Dagenham factory in London, the added logistics and shipping are likely to keep the Ranger PHEV MS-RT out of local showrooms.
Kez Casey migrated from behind spare parts counters to writing about cars over ten years ago. Raised by a family of automotive workers, Kez grew up in workshops and panel shops before making the switch to reviews and road tests for The Motor Report, Drive and CarAdvice.
