Today saw the unveiling of a new small concept truck from Ford in Thailand as well as the reveal of the new generation MINI convertible to be shown in Detroit.
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Ford Ranger Max
Ford chose the Thailand Motor Show to present the Ranger Max show truck. A team of Ford truck specialists in Thailand worked closely with Ford's Australia-based Asia Pacific and Africa design team, led by Paul Gibson, to create Ranger Max. Ford's design team incorporated design cues into Ranger Max that may be seen in future-generation Ranger.
Why Thailand? According to Saroj Kiatfuengfoo, senior vice president, Ford Thailand, “We recognize that Thailand is the home of Ranger for Asia Pacific, and from Thailand we export Ranger around the world. We know Asia is a fusion of many cultures, and we look to Thailand as a wonderful blend of tastes, styles and emerging ideas. For this very reason, we decided to create Ranger Max in Thailand and show the high-impact truck to the world at Motor Expo."
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Based on a standard Ranger chassis, the Max features Ford’s signature three-bar grill, a bright orange paint job and design cues inspired by modern power tools.
New generation MINI convertible
BMW chose to reveal the next-generation MINI convertible that will make its debut at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit next January. Based on the second generation MINI, the convertible will feature a choice of 2 gasoline engines.
The first, a normally-aspirated 1.6 liter produces 118 hp and 114 lb.-ft. at 4,250 rpm. Featuring valvetronic technology, it will be available with either a 6-speed manual or 6-speed automatic transaxle.
The “S” version engine comes standard with a twin-scroll turbocharger that produces 172 hp and a maximum 177 lb.-ft. of torque in normal driving situations or 192 lb.-ft. with Overboost.
Both models feature a number of improvements, including a newly-developed, electromechanically operated rollover bar positioned behind the rear seats. To allow for maximum rear visibility, the bar is hidden behind the seats and is activated by the vehicles central safety electronics in the event of a rollover. The standard power roof with sliding function enables the unit to be lowered at speeds of up to 20 miles per hour, while a standard “Openometer” records the time spent with the roof down (a brainchild of the “options you thought you’d never need” department).
