IMMINENT retirement of a dual turbocharged four-cylinder diesel that so far this year is achieving 70 percent of all Ford Ranger sales is a global decision, but local fallout won’t be injurious.

That view is shared by Ford New Zealand in wake of the Blue Oval’s announcement yesterday about the 2.0-litre four-cylinder biturbo, a mainstay of New Zealand’s top-selling utility.

In addition to running in most versions of the Ranger, including the performance-themed Raptor, the biturbo has also been important to the Everest sport utility.

Decision to soon pull it from sale in those models was announced by Ford regionally yesterday, but it reality it’s a global withdrawal, a spokesman for Ford New Zealand said today.

“It’s not just us and Australia, it’s not just Ranger and Everest.” 

Ford has given no reason for why it has decided to take the power plant off line, though outwardly there’s little if anything be gained.

The 2.0-litre single turbo diesel that is intended to replace it currently makes less power and torque and seems less economical, while emissions gain is challenging to fathom.

Reducing fleet CO2 count is becoming more important here. As of the end of this year New Zealand and Australia will have a common emissions guideline, which for us means stricter expectations. In respect to those, it’s hard to see how the single turbo offers tangible pluses. 

If anything, Ranger and Everest might suffer increased average emissions through this because as part of the drivetrain revision announced yesterday Ford said it also intends to run the models’ alternate diesel, a 3.0-litre V6, in more variants. 

That engine is particularly poor for CO2 count, second only to the Raptor’s petrol V6.

Though the single turbo is in Ranger in other countries, in this market it occasions for now purely in the Transit van.

The biturbo came into circulation for NZ market use after Ranger lost it’s original issue 3.2-litre five-cylinder diesel turbo in 2022.

Ford NZ argument that there is little difference in outputs between the two four-cylinder diesels is not borne out by on-paper comparison.

In present state, the biturbo makes 154kW/500Nm. In Transit, the single turbo produces 125kW and 390Nm. In an entry level Ranger XL in Australia it makes 125kW/405Nm. Thailand and South Africa achieve a 132kW/420Nm version in the ute. 

Ford won’t lend insight into what the engine might bring next year, but says the version incoming has been been upgraded with a new fuel injection system and timing chain for "improved durability and performance, giving customers a proven, capable and affordable powertrain option.”

It will marry to the 10-speed automatic across all Ranger and Everest models. In the ute’s entry form in Australia, it ties to a six-speed.

Ranger has consistently been the top-selling ute here for more than a decade and right from introduction the biturbo has been the strongest-supported power plant.

Around 73 percent of the 7862 Rangers registered between January 1 and end of October this year have been biturbos.

Ranger also supplies with a 2.3-litre petrol plug-in hybrid and the SuperDuty here next year takes a revised version of the turbo diesel V6. Neither of those are affected.

There is still chance to engage with the biturbko as, while full details of the revised lineup are set to be shared soon, first arrivals of the updated products are not expected until mid-2026.