MANILA, Philippines — Let the numbers speak – a new Duratorq TDCi 3.2 liter VG Turbo with 470 Nm of torque and power-rated at 147 KW (200 PS); 1,400 kg payload capacity; 800 millimeters water-wading capability – in the all-new Ford Ranger Wildtrack 4x4 model.

And the numbers for the smaller engine – the new Duratorq TDCi 2.2L VG Turbo – are just as impressive: peak torque of 375 Nm and power output of 110 kW (150 PS).  Those are big numbers that make the latest Ford Ranger stand out from the pickup trucks that are in the Philippine market.  (As a point of reference, two popular 4x4 pickup trucks with a 3.0-liter engine have 343 and 294 torque.)

While the numbers speak of the power that will literally move the pickup trucks to crawl uphill on its own – it will move those who prefer to drive trucks to give a serious look at the all-new Ford Ranger.  But aside from the powerful numbers, there are at least 20 details that may endear this “strongman” to them.  I refer to the 20 storage spaces that the Ford engineers and designers have imbedded in that truck – details that will make leisure – and life – on the road a pleasure.

Consider these small details that are irrelevant to power performance – but important to someone who wants to bring “everything” along in just one vehicle: The rear bench seat easily folds up to expose a space good enough for a mountain bike, or a big Coleman box.  Under that space, a “secret” lies – a deep storage box for the things you want to keep out of sight, or out of clutter.  Of course the usual tool-set space is still behind the backrest.

Most everyone – the outdoorsman included – takes along a laptop.  You can sit a 16-inch laptop in the glove compartment!  That huge space can hold a lot of other gadgets that today’s driver takes along – iPad, phone chargers, maps, tire pressure gauge, and why not a book too?  All around the cabin are thoughtful spaces for everything that is important to the truck driver; a toll ticket holder, MP3 and iPod player, sunglasses, portable navigation gadget, etc.  There’s even a “kangaroo pocket” to put the gadgets that may be sensitive to scratches!

The sensitive design of the Ford Ranger has consistently considered the truck lifestyle.  A major need on the road is a drink – and there’s many slots for that, you can have a beverage exhibit on board.  The center console bin can hold six beverage cans; there are cup holders in the front and rear; and the front map pockets can hold a 1.5-liter bottle.

The practical details continue at the cargo bed, usually left to be bare because it’s meant to hold only cargo.  But the designers – who had consulted markets around the world – know that the cargo bed is also a spot where people gather around, when the truck is parked for a picnic or camp. They have installed an outlet for the outdoor gadgets that need more power than a pack of batteries can provide – like a camp light, a pump for an inflatable raft or mattress, my favorite Bose speaker.

The tailgate also has a thoughtful detail, inspired by the way people like to sit there and talk, or just enjoy the panorama. At both sides of the tailgate are embossed circles that can hold beverage bottles or cans.   (A pickup truck driver like me now imagines how those neat circles – and the outlet –can change how I sit on that tailgate while watching the sunset – or the town parade!

Specially designed details and spaces, though, may not exactly be the convincing points of the Ranger, or any pickup truck for that matter.  Naturally, what’s a truck if it does not present a road performance you can trust?  The numbers I cited, will be your guide to be impressed by this new machine.  In a test drive that took us through nearly 150 kms of a variety of roads in the Chiang-Rai mountains in northern Thailand, I drove the Ranger through a leg that took us through many winding and rough mountain roads.  Naturally, I enjoyed the drive with the Wildtrack 4x4 automatic because I only had to worry about being on the left side of the road and not coordinate the gear shifting process of a right-hand-drive.

Except for the right-hand-drive orientation, I found myself at home behind the wheel. I was confident that the Ranger would give the extra burst of power when a steep hill appears right after a sharp curve.  Though the Ranger looked larger than my usual form of transportation, it was easy to maneuver through the tight turns.

The more precise steering control is credited to “the new rack-and-pinion steering system which has been carefully tuned for low-speed maneuverability and responsive on-road driving.”

Impressive was the cabin’s riding comfort.  The cabin was extraordinarily quiet for a pickup truck where you at least expect to hear the wind noise created by the side-mirrors and the road noise from the large tires.  That’s the result of the Ranger’s high levels of noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) refinement.

As passenger (a position I rarely find myself in), I felt no motion sickness even when I had to take videos for my partner, Ron de los Reyes, while we went through the off-roads.    Thanks to the Ranger’s all-new suspension set-up that promises car-like comfort.

The all-new Ford Ranger will be launched in the Philippine market in the first quarter of 2012, Anika Salceda-Wycoco, AVP for Corporate Communications, said.  The price, though, has simply been stated as “competitive” to the prices of other pickup trucks in the market today.

The all-new Ford Ranger has been engineered to give a combination of power and torque as well as excellent fuel efficiency. Three new engines are available – the new Duratorq TDCi 3.2L VG Turbo; 2.2L VG Turbo; and the 2.5L iVCT (delivers 226 Nm of torque and power at 122kW (166 PS).

The compact pickup comes in 4x2 and 4x4 drivetrains and two ride heights with the 4x2 Hi-Rider sharing the same frame as the 4x4 model.

Those who go off-roads can rely on a convenient shift on the fly feature – from 4x2 to 4x4 high anytime via a knob on the center console.

I found the Ranger like a G-Shock watch.  You can wear it outdoors and also to dinner in a fine restaurant.  And also, and this may be quite irrelevant to other truck owners – the Ranger Wildtrack has high-tech features that will make life on the road easier.

Those are the Bluetooth with Voice Control which allows you to “talk” to the radio and to your cell phone; and a rear-view camera that projects the image on the rear-view mirror.  Now, how can anyone miss that?

This Ranger will not disappoint you.