Remember those cool yellow Ford Rangers from the hit series Baywatch? Of course it’s a little grainy because you’d only remember Pamela Anderson and Carmen Electra running in slow-mo. But yes, the sexiest lifeguards alive used a yellow Ranger to get about quickly on the sand and it was the inspiration for the Ranger Splash that was sold here years ago.
Since you couldn’t get yourself a Pamela Anderson, getting a Ranger Splash was the next best thing in its eye-catching shade of yellow.
Ford is largely responsible for transforming the utilitarian image of pick-up trucks into a lifestyle one. It started with the Courier before the older Ranger model took the move into top gear and the Splash edition was the must-have Ranger back then.
Now, Sime Darby Auto Connexion (SDAC) is bringing back the Splash name exclusively for Lazada’s 11.11 Shopping Festival. Before we get into the details of how to get one, we have to take some time to express our disappointment that the new Ranger Splash cannot be had in yellow and we think that’s just a wasted opportunity to ignite more excitement in the model.
Only 19 units of the Ranger Splash are available online, priced at RM138,888 (OTR w/o insurance) and inclusive of a three-year/100,000-km warranty as well as a five-year/100,000 free maintenance package.
The Ranger Splash is based on the current Ranger XLT Plus that goes for RM124,888. So how are they justifying the extra RM14,000? Just bear in mind that for RM138,888 you can get the Ranger Wildtrak 4x2 with the same engine and transmission.
However, the Ranger Splash gets a number of cosmetic goodies. Outside, all 19 will come in black with fluorescent Splash decals on the bed sides. There’s also a kangaroo bar while the front grille, side mirror covers, rear bumper, sports bar, alloy wheels and fender flares are all finished in matte black.
Inside, you get a 360-degree camera and a built-in Touch n’Go card reader.
Nothing new under the hood. It’s still the 2.0-litre single-turbo four-cylinder diesel mill making 178hp and 420Nm of torque with the 10-speed automatic sending power to all four wheels.
If you want one, you don’t have to actually wait for 11 November. Lazada’s “Chup Dulu” function allows you to “chup” a unit from 28 October to 10 November by placing a non-refundable deposit of RM139 via the Lazada app. The first 11 buyers to complete the booking process with the “Chup Dulu” function will get a RM500 Petronas gift card once the Ranger Splash has been delivered.
Following that, you’ll have checkout and pay the balance of the 10 per cent booking fee on 11 November to secure your Ranger Splash. The booking fee is refundable. A Ford rep will then contact you to complete the purchasing process at a showroom of your preference.
