Despite the initial buzz surrounding the United States re-release of the Ford Ranger in 2019, the actual reception of the Ranger has been … lacking. The design teams at Ford are listening to the off-road and overland communities (see the new Ford Bronco release for prime example) and are now offering three new dealer-installed performance packages to spice up the new Ranger.
The performance packages will include a combination of software, hardware, and graphics upgrades and will be available beginning this fall.
Ford Performance Stage 1 | Ford Motor Company
The Ford Performance Stage 1 kit includes a leveling kit to even the stock rake and Fox 2.0 floating piston, mono-tube shocks tuned specifically for the Ranger by Ford. The Stage 1 kit also includes cosmetic improvements in the form of 17-inch Dyno grey wheels and graphics for the windshield and bedside. The Stage 1 kit is $2,495 before installation.
Ford Performance Stage 2 | Ford Motor Company
The Stage 2 kit is arguably the best “bang for your buck” at $4,495 and includes everything offered in the Stage 1 kit and more. The engineers at Ford have recalibrated the engine increasing horsepower to 315 (a 16% increase) and bumps torque to 370 foot-pounds (a 20% increase).
To help get the extra power to the dirt, stock tires are replaced with a 265/70/17 BFG all-terrain. The Stage 2 kit is rounded out with a glitzy license plate frame, a Rigid off-road fog light kit, and blue tow hooks.
Ford Performance Stage 3 | Ford Motor Company
The Ford Performance Stage 3 kit includes everything from Stages 1 and Stage 2 kits and the kitchen sink. Stage 3 includes a Rigid 40-inch LED light bar, a winch-ready ARB front bumper, and a Ford Performance chase rack.
The performance package adds a couple of more ponies with a sport exhaust system and some additional style points with a set of red tow hooks. The Stage 3 kit is listed for $8,995 before installation.
The jury is still out on whether the additional performance packages from Ford offer enough value to sway potential customers away from the Jeep or Toyota dealerships, but it is certainly refreshing to see a vehicle manufacturer paying attention to customer feedback in such an obvious way.
Header image credit: Ford Motor Company
