Ford has introduced a heavyweight Super Duty Ranger pickup that’s slated for UK launch in 2028.

The beefed-up truck, which is already on sale in Australia and New Zealand, can carry a hefty 1,825kg payload, tow trailers weighing up to 4.5t and has a gross total mass (loaded vehicle and trailer) of up to 8,000kg.

That’s 1.5t more than the regular model.

See also: On test: Ford ramps up Ranger pickup power with 281hp hybrid

As these weights suggest, the Super Duty is more than a mildly titivated stock Ranger. In fact, the cabin and V6 diesel engine are the only major components carried over.

Jumbo undercarriage

For the underpinnings, Ford has repurposed the chassis from its Transit Jumbo and it has fitted stronger axles with eight-stud hubs as used on the US-spec F250 truck.

Suspension, brakes, driveshafts, differentials and the transfer case have been toughened up too, and it gains a high-capacity 130-litre diesel tank.

Power output from the 3-litre V6 diesel engine is 209hp and it puts out a useful 600Nm of torque.

Horsepower is actually lower than most regular Rangers, which are good for about 250hp, the reason being that this truck is geared up for load lugging rather than outright pace.

Ford’s 10-speed automatic transmission is tasked with ratio changes and the transfer case offers switchable and automatic four-wheel drive modes.

When it does go on sale, Ford hopes to offer it for less than £50,000, though that could change by the time it makes it to UK roads.

Buyers will get the choice of single, super cab and double chassis-cab models, which can be fitted with a bed or body of the customer’s choosing. There’s also the option of a regular double cab with body coloured tub.

The catch is that it’s classed as a Category C1 vehicle which, for anyone that passed their driving test after 1997, means an additional qualification is needed.