• Home
• /
• Entertainment
• /
• Auto

If Indiana Jones owned a car...

...It'd be a Ford Ranger

IT IS ARGUABLY the least popular movie in the series, yet Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom does provide one moment which sets it apart from the others in the trilogy (we refuse to acknowledge the travesty that is the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull).
 Swinging to 1930s jazz beats, Club Obi Wan is Shanghai's hottest nightclub and it is there we catch the first glimpse of our archaeologist adventurer. However, instead of being decked out in his typical khaki and leather coat, here we witness a more James Bond figure dressed in a dinner jacket, sipping on cocktails. It provides perhaps the greatest juxtaposition in character images since Princess Anne's turn on novelty game show It's a Knockout.
It is a fitting analogy for the new Ford Ranger. A car that should have all the ruggedness of a lumberjack crossed with a bear is actually a sophisticate. It looks tough and can perform pretty well off-road, yet if ultimately you're simply in the market for something big to pose in, this is one to consider.
The same split personality sentiment goes for pickups in general. Anywhere else in the world, these vehicles would firmly be seen as the ravine-jumping, grave robbing Dr. Joneses. Although in the UAE, far from rumbling around building sites, they're parked up outside fancy residences and hotels - sprucing up the place like promotional models.
The Ford Ranger definitely attracts a few glances, especially when driving the premium Wildtrak version in burnt orange. Not yet hugely well-known the whole range: Base, XL, XLT, Limited and Wildtrak, is somewhat of a novelty on the road.
Inside the cabin is a lovely space to spend your time. Roomy, without being vast, comfortable without being showy, Ford appears to have got the balance right with the styling. The one element you will enjoy is the vehicle's height. 23cm ground clearance and an elevated body mean even the taller among you will have to make use of the step running around the edge of the car.  And it is this point which brings us to the fun part. What happens when Indy finally changes out of his tuxedo and into his hat? The trademark music starts. And that is what will occur in your mind when you take the Ranger from the tarmac to the sand - the sophisticate becomes animal. The 3.2-litre which comes in the Wildtrak is a diesel, which provides the noise of a hefty beast and enough power to make it go some. Acceleration is a tad difficult to get used to at first. The grunt isn't as forethcoming as with a petrol engine, however you don't really need that when climbing over dunes, which are easy to navigate with the car's 28-degree approach and 25-degree departure angles - more than sufficient to head on your personal crusade.
Details: A base Ranger is available at a starting price of Dhs69,000 and the Wildtrak is currently available for Dhs115,000.
david@khaleejtimes.com