"Our goal in designing the new Ranger Edge was to visualize somebody out in their driveway washing this truck and saying, 'Hey, look at what I've got.'" Ron Steffey, Ranger Design Supervisor

The Ranger Edge - the newest derivative in the Ranger lineup - is designed to appeal to young, active customers looking for the pickup's big, bold tires and wheels, 4x4-ride height and unadorned monochromatic style.

The new Ranger Edge is first identified by its unique grille, which draws design cues from Ford's F-Series trucks, with its body-colored surround and textured insert. Below, thick fascia sports a pair of round driving lamps. Fender flares add to the muscular stance and are body-colored to continue the monochromatic theme.

The Edge name on the side is designed to be as direct and sharp-edged as a tattoo.

Under the hood, Edge is powered by a standard 3.0-liter OHV V-6, which produces 150 horsepower. A new optional 4.0-liter SOHC V-6 also is available.

The interior is simple, with a resilient washable floor of textured vinyl and wipe-clean vinyl seats - designed with the vehicle's intended use in mind, such as long rides up to the lake with a trailer pulling a personal watercraft. The laminate instrument panel offers more sound isolation refinement than that of a traditional pickup, to help continue Ranger's reign at the top of an increasingly competitive and quality-driven compact pickup truck market.

"It is designed to give off the message that, when you get in there, this isn't a toy truck," says Ron Steffey, Ranger design supervisor.

A thick bed rail helps protect the paint when consumers pull toys or tools out of the truck bed, while adding height and three-dimensionality to the Ranger Edge's profile. The bed rails can be removed easily if desired.

"We've found that the Y and X generations really want a rugged vehicle," Steffey says. "The high-stance look is what we're trying to capture. If it's a 4x4 or 4x2, it will look the same." The higher ground clearance of the Ranger 4x2 model is based on customer feedback. Research found that many young compact pickup owners raise the stance of their two-wheel drive trucks on their own for spirited desert-road rambles. They don't necessarily need the capability of four-wheel drive, because the road surface is firm - but they do want and need extra ground clearance to handle the bumps.

Edge's designers broke the monochrome theme at the extreme front and rear of the vehicle, with complex-reflector headlamps and three-dimensional taillamps.

"We have less chrome on the vehicle, so the jewel-like complex reflector headlamps really stand out," Steffey says. An AM/FM stereo with single-disc CD player is standard on the 2001 Ranger.

Also available is a six-disc, in-dash CD changer and sound system with four premium speakers and Dolby noise reduction. The system marks the first time a manufacturer has offered this type of CD system in a compact pickup. There's no need for a separate changer unit taking up precious interior space.  Autoworld.com

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