Standing out from the pack at this year’s Tour de France will be this specially liveried Ford Ranger, designed to help Team Sky stay head and shoulders above the competition.

As well as enabling team members to scout in front of the riders to recce the road ahead on each race stage, the stylish and practical pickup will spread the message of Ford Europe's ‘Share The Road’ campaign that aims to foster greater harmony and empathy between both drivers and cyclists.



The Ranger pickup, which is equipped with a custom bicycle rack, will also transport medical staff, feed zone teams and mechanics, and carry food, tools, spares and drink bottles. The high driving position will make it easier to spot potholes and choose the best riding lines.

Servais Knaven, sport director, Team Sky

“The Tour de France throws up everything from icy peaks to muddy cobblestones and Ranger is a great go-anywhere addition to the fleet of support vehicles. We are proud to get right behind ‘Share the Road’ – most of us are cyclists and drivers and fully support a campaign that highlights the benefits of looking out for each other.”

Ford Europe are exclusive supplier of cars and vans for Team Sky, with the partnership that began in 2016 already resulting in more than 100 victories. The Team Sky fleet also includes Ford Mondeo ST-Line wagons equipped with Intelligent All-Wheel Drive (AWD), S-MAX with Intelligent AWD, Edge, Tourneo and Transit vehicles.

As part of the ‘Share The Road’ campaign, we recently produced a groundbreaking virtual reality experience that enables motorists and cyclists to see first-hand the potential consequences of inconsiderate driving and riding. Initial studies show that after undergoing the experience, nearly all participants said they would change their behaviour.



The 2018 Tour de France runs from 7 July to the 29 July. Race fans can follow Team Sky’s progress on Twitter via @TeamSky and  #GoTeamSky.

Longyearbyen on the island of Svalbard, in the Arctic Circle, is the world's northernmost town and is shrouded in darkness for 110 days of the year. What's it like for the people who live there?



Sub-zero temperatures and a lack of light make the roads around Longyearbyen treacherous. Add to that the risk of avalanches, crevasses, glaciers and even polar bears and it’s easy to see why there’s real danger for the 2,400 inhabitants as they go about their daily business.

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Ranger tester Martin

“Darkness makes you realise how small you are.”

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Airport worker Silje

“I like going away from the town in the dark season. Makes me feel alive."

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Ranger Black test driver Ben

“I’m just trying to grow food for the town. In complete darkness, at -20Cº.”

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Longyearbyen on the island of Svalbard in the Arctic Circle is shrouded in darkness for 110 days of the year. Sub-zero temperatures and a lack of light make the roads treacherous, but add avalanches, crevasses, glaciers and polar bears and it’s easy to see why there’s real danger for the 2,400 inhabitants as they go about their daily business.

So what better way to test the mettle of our new Ford Ranger Black Edition – an exclusive new version of Europe’s best-selling pickup – than lending vehicles to some of the town’s hard-working folk to find out if it too can handle the dark surroundings of Arctic Norway?

Ranger Black test driver Ben:

“This isn’t the wild west – this is the wild, raw north… it might be dark 24 hours a day but we all still have to do our jobs and life still goes on, like normal. At first, people thought I was crazy, but if I can do it here I can do it anywhere.”

Ben's vehicle effortlessly tackled icy tracks to supply hotels and restaurants with the fresh produce he manages to cultivate in temperatures of -20 degrees Celsius.

Airport worker Silje:

“Most people come to Svalbard for an adventure and stay for one or two years. Not everyone can handle it. It’s dangerous, but I love to go out and there’s no one else there. It’s just the wild – I feel alive.” 

Silje was born on the island and knows how hard it can be to thrive in Longyearbyen. With no running water in her isolated home, she relied on the Ranger to transport filled tanks from the town supply.

Fellow Ranger tester Martin:

“To get to the store, I have to drive 15 km but if there’s a blizzard outside a normal 10-minute drive could take an hour and a half. Most people would describe the way I live as a tough life, but for me it’s a perfect life.”

Martin  is a carpenter who lives outside the town of Longyearbyen in an isolated cabin with his team of twelve huskies. His home is warmed by paraffin heaters so he took our Ranger to load up with barrels of fuel.



Life at 78 degrees north may not be easy, but as the Northern Lights glow and the huskies howl, the Ford Ranger Black Edition has lightened the load on the darkest hours for the hardworking residents of Svalbard.

Martin:

“Only another 100 days or so until the sun rises again.”

Ford is launching the exclusive new Ranger Black Edition at the Frankfurt Motor Show, offering customers of Europe’s No.1 selling pickup a distinctive new version with a striking colour-coded appearance.


The Black Edition model is based on the popular Limited series, and features a de-chromed body in Absolute Black with a black finish for the radiator grille, alloy wheels, sports bar and exterior detailing. Offered in Double Cab bodystyle only, the production run will be restricted to just 2,500 units, vehicles are available to order from Ford dealers now.


The Ranger Black Edition standard equipment specification includes satellite navigation, front parking sensors and rear view camera, adding to the Limited series features such as Ford SYNC 3 multimedia system with 8-inch touchscreen, dual-zone electronic climate control, leather seat trim, and power-folding, heated door mirrors.


Hans Schep, general manager, Commercial Vehicles, Ford of Europe.

“Ranger customers appreciate the vehicle’s tough, go-anywhere capability and its rugged good looks, and we expect this attractive new limited series to be snapped up within weeks.”

The Cheetah Metapopulation Project visit sites and relocates cheetahs around to ensure overall effective management of the species.



With the support of the Ford Wildlife Foundation and a new Ford Ranger, the Endangered Wildlife Trust will be able to conduct critical and vital conservation work ensuring good bloodlines and stable populations for the world’s fastest land mammal.