The Ford Ranger Global Challenge: Voting Now Open

MELBOURNE – Sept 1, 2011: Public voting for the Australian leg of the Ford Ranger Global Challenge has now opened.

Members of the public can now visit the Ford Ranger Global Challenge website (www.fordrangerchallenge.com.au) and view the five unique challenges five lucky competition finalists have performed in their quest to test the all-new Ford Ranger 4x4 to its limits. Visitors can register and choose their favourite challenge.

When voting concludes at the end of September and the number of votes are tallied, the finalist with the most votes will be awarded an all-new Ford Ranger 4x4 XLT double cab.

To recap, the five Australian Ford Ranger Global Challenge finalists are:

Caleb the Chippy (SA)
Challenge: Caleb sought to prove the all-new Ranger's "21st Century Tough" claim by putting it through a punishing, non-stop 40-hour endurance test.

Far North Fisherman Terry (QLD)
Challenge: Terry put the all-new Ford Ranger to work in his fisheries surveying business located in the wilds of far-north Queensland.

The Car Crusher (VIC)
Challenge: The "car crusher" tested the all-new Ranger to its limits during the daily grind of running his pig farm, including 1,500km a week of heavy towing.

Action John (WA)
Challenge: Action John tested if the all-new Ford Ranger could survive the bruising daily punishment of working in his freight company, located in north-west Western Australia.

Skier Steve (VIC)
Challenge: Skier Steve tested if the all-new Ford Ranger could survive the hard work his Falls Creek's company dished out during Victoria's icy snow season.

The Ford Ranger Global Challenge is a unique experiential marketing campaign. It is intended to showcase the all-new Ranger's "21st Century Tough" credentials through real-world users.

Earlier this year, more than 1,300 Australians entered this competition by detailing what they believed was the ultimate challenge that would test the abilities of the all-new Ford Ranger. From this group, five finalists were selected. They were each given an all-new Ford Ranger to conduct their proposed challenge in their own real-world conditions, making them among the first in the world to drive and test this yet-to-be-released all-new model.

Following the Australian leg of this competition, the Ford Ranger Global Challenge will continue a global roll-out through Thailand and South Africa before moving to Europe and South America.