We Spent A Week With The Incredible MS-RT Ranger
First impressions count. If you've ever seen (or bought!) an MS-RT Ranger, you'll know immediately that it's big, loud and stuffed with road presence. You can't really buy anything else like it in the UK. The MS-RT Ranger might use the five-cylinder diesel engine from the Ford Ranger Wildtrak, but it features massively uprated suspension and plenty of off-road goodies.
How do these changes affect what it's like to live with? Debbie, our Head of Marketing, decided to find out, and snaffled the keys for a few days. Here are her first impressions:
"As a woman in the automotive industry, when I spy an exciting vehicle the first thing I want to do is have a go. So, when I saw the MS-RT Ranger my adrenaline started peaking. It's a huge truck, and I wanted a piece of it. I admired it, I even stroked it and, when I was given an offer to take it home for a few days, I almost bit the dealership manager's hand off!
"Excitedly, my colleague, Ben, and I went to get the Ranger. It was immediately re-named ‘The Beast’. With some trepidation, and a few childish giggles, I was given the key and instructions. It felt both different and similar to what I was used to - it's still a Ford so the controls are easy to operate and intuitive, but just on a different scale! The flat bonnet stretches out far in front of you and, whether you're tall or short, you'll be climbing up to get into the MS-RT Ranger."
"With nothing more than a cheery wave from the salesman that handed us the keys, off I went. The first thing you notice is the noise. It's a deep, bellowing growl that gets even louder as you build up speed. We had the sports exhaust turned on, and the Ranger had gained admiring stares from passers-by before we'd even got off the forecourt."
"Immediately after, you notice how big it is. Driving through Abingdon was a bit tense at times, until we were used to it. The Ranger dwarfs other pickups, and you're sat much higher than people in their SUVs. It made me feel quite regal, in a 'look at me, I'm much bigger than you' sort of way. But it's not difficult to drive at all. It's easy to place, and the extra width is only apparent through restrictors. Everywhere else, it's fine!"
"Ben and I parked it up in a disused area and then took some pictures of the technical bits like the gorgeous tyres and key features. I fiddled with the top LED lights until they half blinded him when they came on without me giving warning.
The drive from the dealership to the photoshoot location was only ten minutes or so, but it felt like an adventure!"
"Home time came, and I was on my own. Dark and rainy, it wasn't the sort of weather I like driving home in. The Ranger lapped it up though. I was conscious that people were wondering what a lady in the suit was doing in such a large, brutish vehicle, when I boldly hit the A420. During gaps in the awful traffic, I realised there were six gears - which seemed appropriate. Considering I'm used to automatic vehicles, I felt quite comfortable going up and down the gears.
I parked up at home. Getting out, I again realised that, at 5ft 8, I still had to do a little hop to reach the floor from the steps. I have to admit to it not being the most elegant of dismounts, and I would have to improve my performance if I was going to show ‘The Beast' off."
Come back next week for our next update!
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