The FX4 MAX has been engineered locally to tackle hardcore off-roading, with more ground clearance, all-terrain tyres and specialised suspension tuned to handle the rough stuff.

The new model will sit beneath Ford’s Raptor and the Wildtrak X in the Ranger pecking order, priced at $65,940 plus on-road costs. It will go on sale towards the end of the year.

The go-anywhere MAX was developed and tuned at Ford’s You Yang Proving Grounds outside of Melbourne and tested in the Victorian high country and South Australia.

Tony Tsiandikos, Ford’s chassis engineering manager, said individual suspension components had been meticulously tuned to improve the ute’s off-road performance while maintaining its load carrying and towing capacity.

“Our goal with the suspension was to extend Ranger’s off-road capabilities, and we started with the basics: suspension travel, vehicle track and shock damping capability,” he said.

“The changes mean greater control of the vehicle in more aggressive terrain,” he said.

The F4 MAX has specially tuned Fox off-road shock absorbers, a wider track and the same 32-inch BF Goodrich all-terrain tyres fitted on the Raptor. Tweaks have also been made to the rear leaf suspension, the steering and the front stabiliser bar.

A 20mm suspension lift, combined with the chunky tyres, means the FX4 MAX rides 31mm higher than the XLT Ranger and provides 19mm more ground clearance at 256mm. Approach and departure angles have also improved.

Ford has made it easier for enthusiasts to add their personal touches by adding a bank of six auxiliary switches above the centre touchscreen for powering accessories such as light bars, winches and spotlights. A special 250A alternator is fitted to reduce reliance on the vehicle’s battery.

As with the Raptor, styling cues set it apart from run-of-the-mill Rangers. Aside from the chunky tyres and wide stances, there are bulging wheel arches, side steps and a full-length sports bar finished in matt black. It shares the Raptor’s grille with FORD lettering and its “conquer grey” paint job.

Inside, there are all-weather floor mats, bespoke front seats with suede inserts and FX4 lettering embossed on the seat backs.

The FX4 MAX uses the newer of the diesel engines offered in the Ranger, a twin-turbo four-cylinder putting out 157kW and 500Nm through a ten-speed auto. A towbar is standard and the Ranger’s 981kg payload and 3500kg towing capacity are maintained.

A “tech pack” with adaptive cruise control and semiautomatic parking costs $800, prestige paint is $650 and extra decals on the bonnet, doors, tray sides and tailgate cost $750.

Ford president Andrew Birkic said the FX4 was designed to channel the looks and capability of the Raptor while offering a more affordable price point.

“We wanted to reach out to a customer who really wanted to push into the enthusiast off-roading space,” he said.

The Ranger has been a huge success for Ford, almost single-handedly saving the brand from local extinction when its Broadmeadows Plant closed.

It accounts for roughly two-thirds of Ford’s local sales – and almost 80 per cent if you count the Everest wagon spun off the Ranger platform.

Australia is the engineering and design base for the Ranger worldwide and the company employs more than 2000 people in its Broadmeadows facility.

The Ranger is the second-best selling vehicle in the country behind the Toyota HiLux, although the Ford outsells its rival in the 4WD market.

Birkic said the competitiveness of the ute market meant the brand couldn’t afford to sit still with the Ranger.

“It’s a really competitive segment so we know we can’t be complacent. We have to keep investing, we have to keep pushing ourselves.

“This is another example of us really getting quite focused on a particular customer and delivering what we think is a unique proposition,” he said.