Telescopic wing mirrors for future Ford tow vehicles

Telescopic wing mirrors could soon make their way onto the local Ford Ranger, Everest and upcoming F-150 line-ups, providing caravanners, boaties and equestrians with an innovative way of improving their around-vehicle vision without going aftermarket.

While nothing’s been publicly confirmed yet, the Ford Motor Company submitted a trademark with IP Australia in mid-March for the ‘Powerscope’ name exclusively under Class 12 with a specific “extendable side view mirrors for motor vehicles” clause.

Powerscope technology has been available in the US for a while now and has traditionally been associated with the Super Duty pick-up trucks – Ford’s towing kings, from F-250 and above – but has never been offered in Australia and could elevate the local Ranger, Everest and inbound F-150’s towing credentials even further.

Already deemed some of the most accomplished tow vehicles in their respective segments, the telescopic mirrors won’t do anything to improve the Ranger and Everest’s benchmark 3500kg or the F-150’s 4500kg braked towing capacities, but they will improve rearward visibility, especially when combined with the vehicles’ standard blind spot information system including trailer coverage.

In North American vehicles, the mirrors’ telescopic function is controlled via a dedicated switch on the driver’s door above the other mirror controls and can extend up to three inches (76mm) on either side.

Ford Australia provided us with the usual line on how trademarks don’t necessarily indicate the pending introduction of a certain product or feature, but the timing of the submission seems a little convenient given the F-150 is due to arrive in local showrooms in the third quarter – July to September.

The F-150 would be the most likely candidate to have the feature added to its options list, but there’s no reason the tech couldn’t be made available on the Ranger and Everest V6s, especially with Volkswagen talking up the new Amarok’s more premium interior and design.

Such a feature would save regular towers from having to purchase and fit oversized aftermarket mirrors, or tacking on the removeable extensions, providing them with improved visibility, convenience and aesthetic elegance.