It seems Richard Hammond is rather smitten with the new car he bought. Actually, scratch that. It's not a car at all, but rather, a pickup truck. It's not just any truck either – his new rig is a snazzy Ford Ranger Wildtrak, which he shared with the world in a recent Drivetribe video. In Hammond's own words, he's officially gone "full truck."
Apparently, the Ranger Raptor he had for his midlife crisis a few years ago was only half a truck. Or maybe three-quarters. Or maybe it was a Ford promo, as the not-so-fine print in those videos clearly stated. This time around, there are no such disclaimers. The Hampster says it's his legit truck, bought and paid for with his own cash. Take that as you will.
In any case, he was challenged to find seven things he liked about his truck and being his dream vehicle, the challenge was his to win. It looks great, and everyone in his rural neighborhood drives a truck. It works everywhere, be it a country bar or a swanky downtown event. It also works like a truck should, capable of hauling stuff and towing things (which he ranks as two separate reasons). It has cool tech like hill-descent and voice-activated controls, and it has a 10-speed transmission. As a kid, he always wanted a 10-speed bicycle, so yeah, that's his justification for loving the gearbox. Hey, it's Hammond.
Gallery: 2021 Ford Ranger Tremor
His Ranger Wildtrak relationship isn't all hugs and puppies, however. There is a single "minor" flaw he alludes to throughout the six-minute video and you'll want to sit down for this one. The problem is ... it's a truck. Wait, what?
To be fair, he does narrow it down to the cargo capacity in the bed being a slight overkill for simple trips to the store. With so much space in the back, how does one simply carry a couple bags of Doritos and Jaffa Cakes without it zinging all the way to the front?
If it all seems a bit familiar, you might be a long-time Top Gear fan. Jeremy Clarkson had an identical response to the second-generation Ford F-150 Lighting he drove on the show ages ago, and it was just as nonsensical then as it is now. We aren't suggesting this alleged flaw was staged for comedic effect, but surely Hammond is aware of the numerous bed storage systems available for trucks.
Or, he could always drop those bags in the back seat like all us sedan drivers do. Just sayin'.
