Ford Ranger Super Duty: The Behind-the-Scenes Hero Supporting Success at AXCR 2026
Working alongside Ford Racing and Feeliq Innovation Motorsport, RMA deployed engineering expertise and two Ford Ranger Super Duty support vehicles to help sustain the team’s Ford Ranger Raptor campaign throughout the Asia Cross Country Rally (AXCR).
While the Ranger Raptor tackled the competitive stages, the Ranger Super Duty and support team navigated their own demanding route between service points, ensuring the rally operation ran smoothly throughout the event.
What is AXCR 2026?
Widely regarded as one of Asia’s most demanding endurance rallies, AXCR 2026 covered approximately 2,000 kilometers (km) across Thailand, from Pattaya to Phitsanulok. Drivers and teams faced constantly changing conditions, including gravel roads, mountain tracks, mud, river crossings, and fast off-road sections.
Ford Ranger Super Duty: The Backbone of Rally Support Operations at AXCR
Prepared by RMA Special Vehicles, two Ford Ranger Super Duty support vehicles accompanied the team across the entire rally route, transporting essential equipment between service locations. Each Ranger Super Duty was assigned a specific role within the support operation.
One vehicle was dedicated to transporting tools, equipment, and spare parts, which were stored in a TJM upfitter box developed in partnership with Ford. The upfitter box housed all the tools, equipment, and spare parts needed for mid-day servicing between stages. Its storage system enabled tools, fluids, hand tools, and spare parts to be organized across multiple drawers and compartments for quick access during service operations. This allowed the support crew to quickly set up, locate required parts, complete maintenance work efficiently, and move on to the next service point with minimal delay.
The TJM Ranger Super Duty was also equipped with a TJM winch, inverter system, air compressor, bull bar, driving lamps, and an integrated awning that provided shelter during wet weather. Together, the equipment carried within the upfitter box weighed approximately 1,500 kg.
The second Ranger Super Duty served as a water support vehicle, carrying approximately 1,300 kg of water tanks and pressure-washing equipment mounted on a steel tray. This vehicle played a crucial role throughout the rally. The race truck often arrived at service points heavily covered in mud and debris. The onboard water and pressure-washing system enabled crews to clean the vehicle quickly, allowing field engineers to begin inspections and maintenance work without delay.
Beyond carrying heavy payloads, the Ranger Super Duty regularly covered between 400 and 600 km per day, travelling from hotels to rally stage start points, onward to mid-day service areas, then to stage-finish service locations before continuing to the next overnight stop. Some service points were in open fields that had been soaked by rain the previous day, creating challenging and muddy working conditions. In these situations, the vehicle’s four-wheel-drive capability proved particularly valuable.
Insights from the Field
According to RMA Technical Field Engineer Justin Mah, the Ranger Super Duty was selected for its load-carrying and towing capabilities, which proved invaluable throughout the rally.
“AXCR is all about endurance and reliability, not just from the race cars but also from the teams and support vehicles. The Ranger Super Duty was perfect for this role because we knew it could handle anything we threw at it during the event,” said Mah.
The vehicle also helped reduce fatigue during long days supporting the rally operation.
“Seat cooling was a huge plus for the service team because it helped them stay comfortable in the hot conditions,” Mah added.
Throughout the rally, the Ranger Super Duty demonstrated its ability to support critical operations in environments where reliability, durability, and uptime are non-negotiable.
“This year’s event was extremely challenging for the drivers and support teams as each day consisted of long transport stages. Night-time servicing would often continue until 2 or 3 a.m., with race trucks departing headquarters again at 7 a.m. the following morning. There was one night where half the team didn’t sleep and continued straight into the next race day. Having the Ranger Super Duties perform as expected helped reduce stress for the service team at the next day’s service point,” Mah said.
Mah also noted that a Ford media team operating an ARB-equipped Ranger Super Duty assisted in recovering other teams’ support vehicles that became stuck in the mud on two separate occasions during the rally. While those recoveries did not involve the RMA support vehicles directly, they provided another example of how the Ranger Super Duty’s towing, recovery, and four-wheel-drive capabilities can be valuable in challenging operating environments.
“The TJM Super Duty was equipped with a front bull bar and winch, so it could have completed full recovery tasks if required. With its 4WD capability, it could tow pretty much anything,” Mah added.
Purpose-Built Capability
The Ford Ranger Super Duty is powered by a 3.0L V6 turbo-diesel engine producing 154 kW (207 hp) and 600 Nm of torque, paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission and full-time 4WD. With a gross vehicle mass (GVM) of 4,500 kg and gross combination mass (GCM) of 8,000 kg, it combines payload capacity, towing capability, and off-road performance in a single platform.
Throughout AXCR 2026, those capabilities were put to the test as the Ranger Super Duty transported critical equipment, supported field repairs and enabled service crews to operate effectively across demanding terrain and long transport stages.
By successfully supporting the AXCR campaign, the Ranger Super Duty demonstrated why it was developed for demanding jobs. From carrying heavy loads and navigating muddy service points to covering hundreds of kilometres between stages, it proved capable of supporting operations in conditions that would challenge many conventional vehicles. Success at events like AXCR depends not only on the race vehicle itself, but also on the support team and equipment working behind the scenes.
As a proud sponsor of AXCR 2026, Ford Global Fleet Sales had the opportunity to see the Ranger Super Duty in action throughout the event. Whether transporting equipment, supporting inspections and repairs, or helping teams navigate challenging conditions, the vehicle proved its value day after day. Its performance across the rally was a clear demonstration of the capability and durability that the Super Duty name represents, and we are proud to have been part of the team’s success.
