The upcoming Ford Ranger Super Duty will feature onboard scales and reinforced hardware, giving drivers a real-time readout of payload and improved carrying capabilities. 

The payload sensors work by measuring suspension compression to track the weight of passengers, gear and modifications, removing the guesswork that’s often involved when carrying heavy loads. The read-out is then displayed on the vehicle’s SYNC screen.

“But a simple scale wasn’t enough,” said Drew O’Shannassy, program manager for the Ranger Super Duty. “It’s a complete payload management system. We knew crews would add bull bars, winches and passengers. The system allows you to account for all of it to get your remaining payload. There’s less guesswork. More confidence.”

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The Ranger Super Duty was developed with input from those who operate in remote and challenging terrain. “We heard about the impossible choices they were forced to make,” said Jeremy Welch, strategic projects manager at Ford Australia. “They needed to carry heavy, specialised equipment, but were often limited by payload. It was a problem we knew we had to solve.”

To handle these loads, Ford reinforced the chassis, thickened the steel backbone, upgraded body and suspension mounts, strengthened axles, fitted eight-bolt wheel hubs, and installed the toughest rear differential ever used on a Ranger.

“You don’t just show up to a powerlifting competition without doing the work,” O’Shannassy said. “This Ranger has done the work.”

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Prototypes were tested extensively at Ford’s You Yangs Proving Ground near Geelong, including the notorious “Corrugation Lane” to simulate years of wear. “We had pushed the truck to its limits with concrete blocks, but you can’t truly understand someone’s mission until you walk a mile in their boots,” said Abdool Beebeejaun, a senior engineer in Special Vehicle Engineering.

One prototype was a light-attack fire truck fitted with a 1000-litre water tank. Fully loaded with two crew and water, it weighed around 4400kg. Ford then took the trucks to Queensland for side-by-side testing with the crews who inspired the project, hitting terrain previously inaccessible to standard vehicles.

“The truck was driven on tracks the teams hadn’t previously been able to reach,” Beebeejaun said. “We watched as, in one test, they deliberately bogged the trucks down to their axles and then dead-pulled them to assess the winch and recovery points. These trucks, loaded to near their 4500kg Gross Vehicle Mass, were pushed to the limit.”

The Ranger Super Duty is expected to hit the market sooner than expected, with customer deliveries starting later this year.

KGM Australia has launched the Musso EV, with the brand’s first fully electric ute set to go on sale from December 1.

At release, the range will include 2WD and AWD variants, plus a 2WD Black Edge edition. Recommended drive-away pricing for private buyers starts at $60,000 for the 2WD, $62,000 for the 2WD Black Edge, and $64,000 for the AWD.

The EV will sit alongside the existing 2.2-litre turbo-diesel Musso line-up, which includes EX, ELX, Ultimate and Ultimate Luxury grades in standard and XLV form. The Musso range was refreshed earlier this year.

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Power comes from an 80.6kWh LFP blade battery. The 2WD uses a 152kW/339Nm front motor, while the AWD adds a second 152kW/339Nm rear motor for a combined 175kW and 630Nm. Claimed range is 420km for the 2WD (230Wh/km efficiency) and 380km for the AWD (260Wh/km). The battery uses Cell-to-Cell construction for improved energy density and impact protection.

Regenerative braking offers three levels of adjustment via steering-wheel paddles, with adaptive control based on gradients and traffic. With 300kW DC fast charging, KGM claims a 20 to 80 per cent charge takes roughly 31 minutes. The Musso EV also supports custom charge limits and Vehicle-to-Load power for tools, camping gear and other equipment. Self-levelling rear suspension is standard, aimed at improving stability and safety when carrying heavy loads.

“This is more than just an electric ute – it’s a turning point,” said Joseph Lee, Managing Director at KGM Australia. “The Musso EV is purpose-built for lifestyle drivers who want practicality, efficiency and weekend-ready versatility in one package. It’s a vehicle that embraces the outdoor lifestyle while pushing the boundaries of innovation. This highly anticipated new vehicle offers KGM Australia the opportunity to lead into the lifestyle electric ute space.”

Exterior features include a reshaped bonnet, dot-pattern LED DRLs with integrated indicators, LED headlights, a 3D black grille and a silver skid plate. The C-pillar carries an integrated sail plane and “Rhino” emblem, while the tailgate features a debossed KGM logo, LED combination lamps and a bumper with corner steps.

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Inside, the Musso EV runs a panoramic dashboard layout with a 12.3-inch digital cluster and 12.3-inch centre touchscreen using the brand’s Athena 2.0 system. Features include heated and cooled powered front seats, ambient lighting, and rear seats with an 80mm slide range, 32-degree recline, heating for the outer positions, and 60/40 adjustability. Headroom is listed at 1002mm.

The EV shares the same tub dimensions as the rest of the Musso line-up, and includes eight tie-down hooks and a moulded tub liner. 

Vehicles will arrive at select KGM dealerships in November, with sales to officially commence from December 1, 2025.

What do you get?

Musso EV

• Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC)
• 17-inch alloy wheels
• LED headlights, taillights and DRLs
• Self-levelling rear suspension
• Dual-zone climate control
• Integrated panoramic display with 12.3-inch dual display LCD instrument cluster and touch screen infotainment
• Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• 3D 360-degree camera
• Leather look eight-way powered front seats with powered driver seat lumbar
• Sliding, folding and reclining 60/40 rear seats
• Heated front and rear outer seats
• Ventilated front seats
• Ambient interior lighting
• Leather heated steering wheel
• Heated, power adjustable and power folding door mirrors
• Rain-sensing wipers
• Wireless phone charger
• Durable rear tub liner with lighting and bumper corner steps

Musso EV Black Edge adds

• Leather and suede seats
• Suede headrests and door trim section
• Black 17-inch alloy wheels
• Black exterior highlights:
  • Bonnet garnish
  • Door mirrors
  • Tailgate badge
  • Sail plane
  • Front bumper trim
  • C-Pillar emblem
• Black steering wheel bezel
• Dark wood grain dash trim

Standard safety equipment

• Eight Airbags
• Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB)
• Lane Keeping Assist (LKA)
• Lane Departure Warning (LDW)
• Forward Collision Warning (FCW)
• Front Vehicle Start Alert (FVSA)
• High Beam Assist (HBA)
• Safety Distance Alert (SDA)
• Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
• Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS)
• Brake Assist System (BAS)
• Emergency Stop Signal (ESS)
• Multi-Collision Braking (MCB)
• Trailer Stability Assist (TSA)
• Front and rear parking sensors

Specs

It’s warm but not too hot – the perfect weather for camping, picnics, and road trips.

And just in time for your next getaway, BLUETTI, a global leader in clean energy storage and portable power stations, is kicking off its Black Friday Sale from November 15 to 28.

Expect massive discounts of up to 58 per cent, exciting giveaways, and two brand-new releases – the Elite 10 ultra-small power station and the B500K expansion battery. Whether you’re powering an off-grid campsite or preparing for summer outages, BLUETTI has the best portable power and home battery deals of the year. Plus, enjoy extra savings with tiered discounts – $50 off orders over $1000, $120 off orders over $2000, and the higher your order amount, the bigger the discount.

New arrivals: Elite 10 mini power station & B500K expansion battery

The Elite 10, BLUETTI’s smallest portable power station yet, weighs only 1.7kg and is travel-friendly.

With six outlets, including a 200W AC socket and a 100W USB-C port, you can power two laptops at once or even run a mini-fridge – not something you’d expect from a 128Wh power bank. Even better, its 10ms UPS mode keeps your gaming online nonstop, and the three-mode LED light offers over 50 hours of camp lighting. The Elite 10 launches at $229.

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The new B500K expansion battery brings home energy storage to the next level, boasting 5,120Wh of durable LiFePO₄ cells. It’s compatible with old, existing, and future BLUETTI power stations. Pair it with the Apex 300 for a 100kWh home battery backup, or integrate it with ecosystem components like the SolarX 4K and Hub D1 for solar-powered RV living. The B500K launch price is $2899. Both the Elite 10 and the B500K will be available on the BLUETTI official website starting November 15.

Deals you can’t miss

BLUETTI Elite 100 V2 & Elite 200 V2: Perfect for camping and road trips

Need big power without the weight for your camping trip? The Elite 100 V2 is your go-to partner. As a leap from the bestseller 1800W AC180, it powers all your camping gear while being 30 per cent lighter, at only 11.5kg. You can charge it faster with 1000W solar and enjoy smarter app control via both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. At $899, it’s a great value add for any trip.

For extended glamping or family outings, the Elite 200 V2 doubles the fun with 2,073Wh capacity and 2,600W output, plus 3900W lifting power to run high-draw grills and microwaves. It’s the first in the industry to use automotive-grade LiFePO₄ batteries with over 6000 charge cycles – more than 17 years of reliable use. It’s now priced at $1799.

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BLUETTI Apex 300: Smart, scalable power for RVs and homes

Winner of “Sustainability Award 2025 Product of the Year” at IFA, the Apex 300 is your gateway to a greener lifestyle. With 3840W output and 2764.8Wh capacity, it can handle most home appliances, including coffee makers, fridges, and A/Cs. Its real advantage is scalability: boost its storage to 19.3kWh for whole-home backup, harness up to 30kW solar input from rooftop panels with SolarX 4K, or pair it with the Hub D1 to power RV devices directly. The Apex 300 + B300K combo now costs $4998, and you can mount it to the Trolley 2 for easy transport.

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BLUETTI Elite 30 V2: Power travel and party with style

The first of its kind, the Elite 30 V2 comes in three colours – Light Sand Grey, Meadow Green, and Classic Black – to match your outdoor style. At just 4.3kg, it offers 288Wh capacity and 600W power, enough to run drones, speakers, and projectors for hours. It also includes a 10ms UPS feature for pro-level backup. Powerful and stylish, it’s built for beach parties and tailgating, and is now priced at $369.

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More BLUETTI Black Friday rewards

Besides these top picks, many other BLUETTI power stations and solar products are at their best prices of the year. The RVSolar System, which recently won the IFA Innovation Award for Best Tech in Good, is a must-grab for RVers and van lifers. During the sale, shoppers can also earn extra discounts, BLUETTI Bucks, and spin the Lucky Wheel for a chance to win exclusive prizes.

About BLUETTI

As a technology pioneer in clean energy, BLUETTI is committed to a sustainable future through innovative portable power stations and home solar batteries. With a focus on continual innovation and a customer-centric approach, BLUETTI is trusted by more than 3.5 million users across 110+ countries and regions.

Australian aftermarket powerhouse ARB has released a full suite of accessories designed to transform the Kia Tasman.

“Built to tackle the elements, the Kia Tasman is ready for anything when equipped with ARB,” the brand said on its social media platforms. “From front to back, every upgrade is designed to enhance protection, capability and comfort, on and off the road.”

Earlier this year, ARB released renders showing a tan-coloured Tasman dressed in a full suite of ARB gear, including a steel Summit MKII bull bar, LED spotlights with integrated DRLs, underbody protection, side rails with integrated steps, various tray and canopy configurations, aftermarket alloy wheels, and aggressive off-road tyres.

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Now formally revealed, the equipment range gives the Tasman enhanced on- and off-road capability while visually transforming the often-divisive ute.

ARB gear for the Kia Tasman includes a Summit MKII bull bar, Solis driving lights, Old Man Emu MT64 suspension, MITS alloy tray, BASE rack, Summit side steps and rails, REDARC 12V system, ARB LINX, side protection, recovery points, and under vehicle protection.

The Tasman’s original styling has divided opinion, with some critics questioning its design. ARB’s upgrades, however, give the ute a more rugged and purposeful appearance, which may shift perceptions and appeal to a wider audience of off-road and adventure enthusiasts. 

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The Kia Tasman is powered by a 2.2-litre diesel engine producing 148 kW and 440 Nm of torque, paired with either a six-speed manual or automatic transmission. Towing capacity sits at 3,500 kg, with a payload of around 1,100 kg. 

Kia also has a range of genuine accessories available, giving buyers the option to upgrade with everything from side steps, sports bars, roof racks and tub racks to soft tonneau covers, electric roller shutters and canopies.

Black Friday is just a few weeks away, landing on November 28, and Superior Engineering has deals that matter for anyone who actually uses their 4WD.

Whether you’re heading off the beaten track, strengthening a work ute, or fixing weak points on your weekend rig, this is a good time to plan your upgrades. Parts move fast, so it pays to check what you need ahead of time. Fitment information is available online, and the team can help if you’re unsure what will suit your vehicle. Getting your 4WD ready before your next trip is simple if you plan early.

What’s on sale?

• 15% off all Superior Engineering products: Suspension, shocks, lift kits, bar work, bull bars, protection gear and upgrade packages.
• 10% off selected leading 4WD brands: Including some of the most trusted names in the industry.

Why upgrade?

• Suspension and lift kits: Better ride, improved load handling and safer off-road performance. Designed for Australian conditions and tested by people who actually drive off-road.
• Underbody protection: Bash plates, diff guards and full underbody systems protect vital drivetrain parts. Superior’s items are built tough and designed to fit lifted vehicles.
• Bull bars and barwork: Compliant, strong barwork adds safety and recovery points while standing up to off-road use.

Cyber Monday

Missed Black Friday? Cyber Monday on December 1 is another chance to get 15% off Superior Engineering products, plus 10% off selected trusted brands. Stock is limited, so shop early.

Sale details

• Starts: 27/11
• Ends: 1/12
• Stock: Limited; popular items sell out quickly.
• Exclusions: Some brands are not included – see Sales Terms and Conditions.

If your 4WD needs upgrades that actually stand up to real use, now’s the time to make a plan. Shop early to make sure you get the gear you need before stock runs out.

When you’re setting up a 4×4 for serious touring, wheels don’t always top the shopping list.

Suspension upgrades, extended fuel range, electrical setups and storage solutions usually steal the spotlight. But if you’ve ever pushed a vehicle across remote tracks, you’ll know just how critical the right rims can be. When I upgraded the GVM on my Isuzu D-MAX, I hit that realisation hard – the factory alloys simply weren’t up to the task. They weren’t rated to handle the extra load that comes with carrying all the gear needed for remote travel and, worse still, if I wanted a replacement, Isuzu wanted $1250 per rim.

I prefer to tour with six wheels – four on the vehicle and two spares – which would have been an eye-watering outlay. That sent me looking for alternatives, and I landed on Mullins Wheels, which has a strong reputation for rugged, Australian-spec rims. I settled on the CSA-X Recoil, ordering six in 18×8.5, 6/139.7 stud pattern, +20 offset, finished in Satin Black.

Why choose the CSA-X Recoil?

The decision was pretty simple once I started digging into the specs. The CSA-X Recoil is designed for heavy-duty applications, particularly for vehicles that have undergone a GVM upgrade like mine. Each rim carries a hefty 1500kg load rating, making it a bulletproof choice for serious off-road work. Whether you’re tackling rough tracks or hauling a fully loaded 4×4, they’re an obvious pick if you’ve gone to the trouble of upgrading your GVM.

Then there was the value for money. Compared with the astronomical price of the OEM Isuzu alloys, I could buy a full set of six CSA-X Recoils for far less than four factory rims. That alone made the decision easy – but the bonus is that they look great, too. The Satin Black finish suits the D-MAX perfectly and gives it a tougher stance without being flashy.

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A century of experience

Another factor that swayed me was Mullins Wheels’ history. It has been operating for more than 100 years and remains one of the most trusted names in the Australian wheel market. Its CSA (Custom Styling Alloy) range is engineered with local conditions in mind, and the Recoil has been tested and rated for the realities of heavy touring rigs – not just for looks or light work. That gave me confidence I wasn’t taking a gamble on an unproven brand.

Real-world tests

This wasn’t a driveway impression or a city-based product test. I’ve now put the CSA-X Recoils through thousands of kilometres across some of Australia’s toughest and most varied terrain.

Victorian High Country

This region is a proving ground for both vehicles and drivers. Long climbs, rocky ledges, steep descents and constant tyre-placement challenges can quickly expose weak points. The Recoils shrugged off the punishment. Even after regular scrapes against rocks, they stayed true, with no signs of warping or cracking.

On remote desert tracks, corrugations are relentless. The pounding can shake a vehicle to bits and has been known to crack alloy wheels that aren’t up to the task. The Recoils held firm. I didn’t need to stop and check them or worry about fatigue – they just kept rolling.

Canning Stock Route

If you want a test that covers it all, the Canning provides it: deep sand, endless bulldust, rocky jump-ups and more corrugations than you can imagine. Over two weeks on the CSR, the Recoils performed flawlessly. The peace of mind that comes from knowing your wheels are up to it lets you focus on driving and navigation, not whether your gear will fail.

Mary River and Litchfield National Parks

Up in the Top End, the challenges are different – mud, sand, sharp creek crossings and plenty of red dirt. The Satin Black finish cleaned up easily afterwards and showed only the expected light scuffs you’d pick up anywhere. Structurally, there were no issues at all.

Through all these conditions, what impressed me most was how little I had to think about the wheels. They did their job without fuss – exactly what you want from equipment you rely on in remote areas.

Why do I run six wheels?

Some travellers reckon two spares is overkill, but for me it’s insurance. When you’re hundreds of kilometres from the nearest town, tyre damage is almost inevitable. Having two spares on board means I can keep pushing forward rather than turning back or sitting around waiting for a rescue. The CSA-X Recoils made this setup affordable – without compromising strength.

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Durability and finish

After thousands of kilometres of dust, mud, rocks and corrugations, the Satin Black finish has held up well. There are a few honest stone chips, but no peeling, fading or corrosion. The design makes it easy to wash out clay and grit, and they still look sharp once cleaned up. Structurally, they’re as solid as the day I fitted them – no cracks, no loss of roundness, and no signs of fatigue.

Who are they for?

The CSA-X Recoil rims are ideal for anyone who takes their 4×4 beyond the city limits – especially those who’ve invested in a GVM upgrade. If you regularly carry heavy loads, tow a van or head off on long remote trips, these rims will give you confidence that your wheels aren’t the weak link.

For those who mostly stick to bitumen and only tackle the odd dirt road, they might be overkill – but if serious touring is on your radar, they make a lot of sense.

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Verdict

The CSA-X Recoil rims have proven their worth across everything from High Country climbs to desert corrugations and Top End mud. They’re strong, practical and great value, giving me the confidence to tour fully loaded without worrying about rim failures.

Would I recommend them? Absolutely. After thousands of kilometres, they’ve earned my trust. If you’re planning long-distance adventures or heading down the path of a GVM upgrade, the CSA-X Recoils from Mullins Wheels are a smart, dependable choice.

Specs

Tambo in central Queensland is one of those towns many travellers breeze through without a second thought. 

I’d been guilty of it myself, thinking it was just another quiet country outpost. But Tambo is, in fact, the oldest town in Central Western Queensland, settled in 1863 as an important stopover for drovers seeking new pastoral country. Before explorer Sir Thomas Mitchell passed through in 1846, following local river systems, the Dharawala people roamed the area.

Originally called Carrangarra, the town’s name was changed to Tambo in 1868. The pub – still bearing the original name – was first built in 1865, has burned down three times, and once served as the post office. For the next 50 years, Tambo thrived as a service hub for the surrounding region. Today, it still has a strong pastoral industry alongside a growing tourism trade.

Tambo sits on the Barcoo River, 860km north-west of Brisbane in central Queensland, and it’s well worth a few hours to explore. You can wander its historic buildings, stroll the Coolibah Walk, check out the transport museum or drop into Tambo Teddies. The Visitor Information Centre has a brochure outlining 17 heritage sites, each with its own story. On the edge of town, the dam – built in 1880 as Tambo’s water supply until bores tapped the Great Artesian Basin in 1895 – now teems with native birds, fish and insects.

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Local highlights

These days, Tambo is best known for Tambo Teddies – a local brainwave from 1992, when wool prices crashed and the town needed a new source of income. Thirty-three years on, more than 50,000 handcrafted bears have been sold around the world.

Just down the road, the Wild and Woolly Tambo Truck and Transport Museum was created in 2012 to celebrate the days when wool was king. Built around a 1944 Johnson Brothers freight truck, the display uses reclaimed materials from the district and is packed with memorabilia from the town’s long transport history. It charts the evolution of freight in the outback – from horse-drawn carriers of the 1860s, to the first motorised trucks of the 1920s, to today’s modern fleets.

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The Wilderness Way

After a few hours in town, I set out on a scenic 4×4 run called the Wilderness Way, linking Tambo to Springsure 250km to the north. My starting point was Windeyer, 40km out of Tambo, where the Dawson Development Road turns right and the bitumen gives way to dirt. 

The route is often described as suitable only for high-clearance 4x4s – but on my run, the road was in top shape and barely a challenge. This self-drive tour skirts the western side of Carnarvon Gorge and Salvator Rosa National Park, offering spectacular views of sheer cliff lines, striking rock formations and rugged mountain country. Midway along, Bull Creek Vista is a great spot to stretch the legs, with views east to the sandstone outcrops of Autograph and Stool Rock, and a solitary pillar known as The Monument.

An hour further on, at the intersection of Cungelella Road, a monument marks where Major Thomas Mitchell passed through in 1846 while trying to unravel the mystery of Australia’s river system – and whether an inland sea existed. Mitchell named the nearby Salvator Rosa valley after a famous Italian painter, christened the Claude River, and identified the rich Mantuan Downs pastoral plains. Crossing those plains, he discovered entire petrified trees. His explorations also took him east, where he charted the Belyando and the entire Barcoo River system.

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Cungelella Road leads into the remote Salvator Rosa National Park, where you can camp in solitude, tackle remote hikes and spot a wide variety of wildlife. For those heading off on foot, Queensland Parks asks hikers to complete a Remote Bushwalking Advice form and leave it with a responsible contact – the park’s rugged terrain and inhospitable country demand respect. One of its most remarkable features is the network of clear springs that feed more than 10 million litres of water a day into nearby creeks, seeping under the Central Queensland Sandstone Belt to form the headwaters of local rivers.

Heading back along the Dawson Development Road towards Springsure, the landscape opens into rolling pastoral country dotted with majestic bottle trees. Before long, the township comes into view, with plenty to see and do. Minerva Hills National Park offers sweeping views and the chance to see ancient volcanic plugs, while the Springsure Museum is crammed with 150 years of local memorabilia. You can even camp beneath the towering Virgin Rock and watch it dramatically lit at night.

I’ve only scratched the surface of this stunning stretch between Tambo and Springsure – there’s far more to uncover, from natural wonders and living museums of cultural history to some of the best remote driving roads central Queensland has to offer.

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Essential information

Where 

Tambo’s Wilderness Way is a remote self-drive route that can be tackled as a 270km loop or as an adventure drive between Tambo and Springsure in central Queensland. It can be done in a SUV in dry conditions, but a 4×4 is recommended – especially after rain, when sections may become impassable. Settled in 1863, Tambo is the oldest town in Western Queensland and a living museum of pastoral history. It’s located 580km west of Bundaberg on the Landsborough Highway.

Things to see

Tambo’s main street is lined with historic buildings, a transport museum and the oldest pub in Western Queensland. The Wilderness Way – known as the ‘Rooftop of Queensland’ – delivers sweeping views of deep gorges and towering cliff lines, with sharp sandstone ranges the highlight through Salvator Rosa National Park. Depending on your plans, you can camp in the park, push on to Springsure or loop back to Tambo. And while you’re in town, don’t miss the famous Tambo Teddies – handcrafted here since 1993.

More information

Tambo’s main street is rich in history, with information boards at nearly every heritage building. The Outback Queensland website has basic self-drive details for the Wilderness Way, or you can drop into the Tambo Museum at 10 Arthur Street for a deeper dive into the region’s past.

In an attempt to recreate Range Rover’s 2018 viral moment on Tianmen Mountain, Chery has managed the opposite – with videos circulating online showing a Fengyun X3L test going sideways. 

During a performance run on the mountain’s famed “Stairway to Heaven,” the SUV reportedly slid backwards after a seatbelt hook detached and wrapped itself around the right wheel, cutting power and sending the vehicle into an ancient handrail. Chery has apologised, confirmed no injuries, promised to repair the damage, and acknowledged the shortcomings in its approach. 

“The outcome has exposed our insufficient assessment of potential risks and lapses in detail control during the planning and execution of this test. In particular, we deeply reflect on the public concerns caused by choosing to conduct the test in a public scenic area,” Chery reportedly said in a statement.

The choice of venue hasn’t helped. Tianmen Mountain is a protected 5A national attraction, and the 999-step staircase leading to the Heaven’s Gate arch is considered a sacred site – making the mishap even more awkward for the brand.

It all harkens back to Range Rover’s 2018 spectacle, when a Sport P400e successfully climbed the 11.3-kilometre Dragon Road and powered up the same staircase under tightly controlled conditions. 

That stunt went global; Chery’s attempt is doing the rounds for entirely different reasons.

The upcoming Ford Ranger Super Duty is set to hit the market sooner than expected, with customer deliveries starting later this year. 

In announcing the expedited launch, Andrew Birkic, President and CEO of Ford ANZ, also shared the program’s origins and progress in a detailed LinkedIn post, highlighting how the truck was designed to meet real-world Australian needs.

The idea for the Ranger Super Duty began six years ago, when Ford’s truck leadership met with one of the country’s largest fleet operators to understand what worked – and what didn’t – with existing mid-size utes. As Birkic explained in his post, fleets were spending time and money modifying vehicles to handle heavy workloads.

“Walking out, the mission was clear. Our heavy duty customers needed a mid-size truck that could carry almost two tonnes of payload, tow up to 4.5 tonnes, and be incredibly capable off-road. Nothing existed in the Australian market that could do all this, backed by a full factory warranty,” stated Birkic.

From there, the project gained momentum. Ford’s Australian engineering team, drawing on decades of local experience, took the lead in applying the Super Duty nameplate outside North America for the first time. The goal was to deliver a mid-size truck with genuine heavy-duty capability.

“Fast forward to the past few months, where I’ve been hitting the road in a prototype Ranger Super Duty across regional Australian roads,” Birkic posted. “It wasn’t about testing its outright capability; it was about getting it into the hands of the people who’d rely on it day in and day out – dealers, farmers, mechanics, construction companies, mining teams and your everyday Aussie.”

Birkic says the vehicle is shaping up to be a game changer for operators who need a mid-size ute that can handle serious loads and challenging conditions without requiring extensive modifications.

“This is more than a new model; it’s a solution born from deep listening. And I’m incredibly proud to announce the Ranger Super Duty is arriving ahead of schedule, with customer deliveries starting later this year,” he said.

All Super Duty models will be powered by a 3.0-litre V6 turbo-diesel engine producing 154kW at 3250rpm and 600Nm of torque at 1750rpm, with heavy-duty truck calibration meeting EU VI emissions standards. A 10-speed automatic transmission and full-time 4WD is standard across the range.

For Jimny owners looking to get the most out of their 4×4, Superior Engineering offers a suite of upgrades designed to boost durability, handling and off-road capability.

Whether you’re tackling rocky trails, soft sand or muddy tracks, these five products are essential for protecting your vehicle and improving its performance 👇

1. Steering Links

The stock drag link on the Jimny is a weak point once larger tyres or a suspension lift are added. Superior Engineering’s steering link replaces it with a solid 1020‑grade steel bar, providing significantly greater strength and rigidity. It bolts directly to factory mounting points and features an adjustable length to restore correct steering geometry and wheel centring after modifications. With a corrosion‑resistant zinc coating, it’s built to handle heavier steering loads and resist flex on challenging terrain, improving durability and steering precision compared to standard components.

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2. Shocks

A key to maintaining control and comfort off-road, the Superior Engineering Monotube IFP shocks deliver consistent damping under load. Tuned specifically for the Jimny’s weight and dynamics, they fit both factory-height and lifted vehicles with larger tyres. Heavy-walled tubes, chrome piston rods, and a corrosion-resistant finish ensure long-term durability, while the bolt-on design makes installation straightforward. The result is enhanced ride quality, stability, and longevity both on and off the beaten track.

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3. Underbody protection

Protecting the Jimny’s underbody from rocks, ruts, and impacts is critical when exploring rugged terrain. The 304 Stainless Steel Transfer Case Guard from Superior Engineering is precision‑cut and folded from 2mm stainless steel, mounting directly without affecting ground clearance or driveline performance. Its durable stainless finish resists corrosion, giving long-lasting protection to the vehicle’s drivetrain in harsh conditions.

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4. Panhard rods

Lifting your Jimny or running larger tyres can throw the rear axle out of alignment, affecting handling and causing uneven tyre wear. The Superior Engineering Adjustable Panhard Rod is machined from solid 1020‑grade steel with a corrosion-resistant finish and allows fine-tuning of axle position for lifts up to four inches. Bolting directly to OEM points, it restores accurate tracking and adds strength where the factory rod is prone to flex, providing serious off-roaders with confidence in rough terrain.

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5. Mudflap bracket

Off-roaders need protection from flying debris without sacrificing practicality. Superior Engineering’s Mudflap Brackets provide a robust mounting solution for 280mm mudflaps, with a black powder-coated aluminium bracket that bolts directly to factory rear mounts. For quick removal on demanding trails, the 6061‑T6 alloy Quick‑Disconnect system lets you take flaps off in minutes without tools, keeping your Jimny legal on-road while retaining flexibility off-road.

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