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With the demise of the V8-powered Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series, the upcoming Ford Ranger Super Duty could fill its work boots.
Ford Australia is yet to fully detail its 2026 Ranger Super Duty, but the new ute is already poised to fill the void left by the discontinuation of the V8-powered Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series.
Billed as a “next-level, work-ready” model to “serve the toughest customers”, Ford is clearly targeting mining, emergency service, and rural operators, as well as fleet buyers with its Ranger Super Duty.
These customers have, typically in the past, turned to the Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series as their workhorse of choice due to a combination of capability, reliability, and go-anywhere ruggedness.
That compares to the LandCruiser 70 Series LC79 dual-cab's 3500kg, 3510kg, and 7010kg respective figures.
And though Ford is yet to confirm the payload of the Super Duty, it is expected to challenge Toyota’s 1380kg number given its size and substantial GVM figure.
What this all means is that the Ranger Super Duty will be perfect for customers who require aftermarket body additions such as canopies, tools, cages and more.
The new Ranger will also be able to handle the largest loads with its full-sized truck-rivalling braked towing capacity and light-truck-challenging GCM, meaning electricity generators, water tanks and heavy construction machinery are all in its wheelhouse.
The final feather in the Super Duty’s cap is its Ranger nameplate, indicating it will be sized closely to its siblings.
This means the Ranger’s off-road capability – including a locking rear differential and automatic four-wheel-high and low driving mode – is likely to be on offer to make manoeuvring in remote and rugged locales easier.
However, the Super Duty could still be larger than a LandCruiser 70 Series, which measures 5245mm long, 1870mm wide, 1955mm tall and has a 3180mm wheelbase, playing against a dual-cab Ranger XLT’s 5370mm, 1918mm, 1886mm and 3270mm figures.
Regardless, the Ranger Super Duty will still be substantially smaller than the likes of the Ford F-150, Ram 1500 and Chevrolet Silverado which also offer a 4500kg braked towing capacity.
Ford has also confirmed a full five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty on the Ranger Super Duty, with servicing able to be carried out at any of the brand’s near-200 local dealerships.
While this number pales compared to Toyota’s 281-strong footprint across Australia, it gives customers more piece of mind that parts and servicing will be readily available.
However, what could seal the deal in customer’s minds is the Ranger Super Duty’s engine, especially after Toyota made the switch from a 4.5-litre turbo-diesel V8 to a 2.8-litre engine.
Ford is yet to confirm the Super Duty’s powertrain, but given its up-rated capabilities and underpinnings, it is likely to slot in the 3.0-litre turbo-diesel V6 already available across some Ranger variants.
While the current version of that engine produces 184kW/500Nm, don’t be surprised to see tweaks under the bonnet of the Super Duty to see an increase in power and torque to better handle bigger loads.
A Ford Australia spokesperson has told Drive that “we’ll confirm all specifications, including drivetrain details, closer to launch”, which is currently earmarked for 2026.
This compares to the four-cylinder LandCruiser 70 Series’ 150kW/500Nm, which is down on power but up on torque compared to the discontinued V8’s 151kW/430Nm output.
The final piece of the puzzle to be confirmed will be pricing, but Ford Australia has some wiggle room here too.
Assuming a workhorse-oriented vehicle like the Super Duty will be based on a mid-tier XLT grade, which is positioned at $68,840 before on-road costs for the dual-cab equipped with the diesel V6, the new Ranger variant could undercut its Toyota-badged rival.
Toyota is asking $83,500 for a dual-cab LandCruiser 70 Series GXL, giving Ford around $14,660 per unit to amortise the Super Duty’s upgrades and development costs.
For reference, a GVM upgrade that would take a Ranger XLT’s figure from 3280kg to 3850kg could cost buyers up to $10,000 depending on the workshop.
As the old adage goes, “there is no replacement for displacement”, but Ford might just be positioning the Ranger Super Duty as a replacement for the V8-powered Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series.
Tung Nguyen has been in the automotive journalism industry for over a decade, cutting his teeth at various publications before finding himself at Drive in 2024. With experience in news, feature, review, and advice writing, as well as video presentation skills, Tung is a do-it-all content creator. Tung’s love of cars first started as a child watching Transformers on Saturday mornings, as well as countless hours on PlayStation’s Gran Turismo, meaning his dream car is a Nissan GT-R, with a Liberty Walk widebody kit, of course.
