The all-new Ford Ranger is due on American roads pretty soon, but before the midsize pickup truck got the seal of approval from the folks in Dearborn, it had to undergo some serious tests to make sure it lived up to the automaker’s famous slogan: Built Ford Tough.
It’s common knowledge that vehicles must pass certain tests before going on sale to the general public, but this is even more true for pickup trucks, which even though in recent times they’ve turned into high-riding luxury vehicles, they’re still considered heavy-duty work tools that must endure whatever life and their owners throw at them.
According to a statement released by Ford, the upcoming Ranger was put through tests so rough that not even humans could be put at the wheel of the trucks to perform them; not in a safe manner, at least. Instead, the team used robots to pilot fully loaded Rangers through severe impacts at the brutal Silver Creek track located at the automaker’s Arizona Proving Grounds.
As this video shows, the Ranger also spent quite a bit of time in the lab strapped to what they call a four-post shaker table. The shaker table checks against squeaks and rattles for days at a time with the hopes that these won’t surface over time in the real world. Of course, not all testing has to be torturous, at least not for the test drivers, as the mighty midsize truck also spent time in the Australian Outback off-roading in extremely hot weather, as it did towing trailers near the Davis Dam in Arizona.
“We torture every component—from its high-strength steel frame to its EcoBoost engine to its cloth and leather-trimmed seats—to ensure Ranger is ready for any season and nearly any terrain,” said Rick Bolt, Ford Ranger chief engineer.
