The objective: to transform a range-topping 2019 Ranger Wildtrak into a one-of-a-kind piece of mobile art.
From design concept to completion, using paint brushes, spray guns and 35 litres of automotive paint, it took a team of five artists, three sprayers, and one assembler a total of 650 hours – mainly outside of their regular shift work at the plant – to produce the finished artwork.
Queeneth Buthelezi, who led the project, said: “It is a great privilege to be part of the team that worked on this incredible project, and delivering a product that every Ford employee from every cultural background can be proud of.”
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Giant national flag
Adorned with a giant national flag stretching all the way from below the imposing grille, up and across the bonnet, then over the roof of the double cab, the vehicle’s tailgate is decorated with Ndebele tribal art and a map of South Africa.
The collages flanking both the driver and passenger sides of the vehicle depict an eclectic array of cultural artefacts and aspects of environmental significance to South Africa and its people, including Proteas – our national flower – and ancient San rock art.
Wiseman Mngadi, a team member on the project, added: “What stands out for me about this project is how it merges South Africa’s various cultural and heritage symbols and artefacts into one cohesive unit, just like how Ford brings together people from different backgrounds who work towards one common goal.”
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Fully functional vehicle
Unlike many art cars around the world, the Heritage Ranger is a fully functional vehicle, right off the same assembly line as all the other South African-built Ranger models. It has been fitted with a big 3.2-litre diesel heart, built on the same assembly line as all the other engines at Ford’s Struandale plant in Port Elizabeth.
Ockert Berry, VP Operations, Ford Middle East and Africa, concluded: “I don’t think Henry Ford - who once famously said: ‘Any customer can have a car painted any colour that he wants so long as it is black’ - could ever, in his wildest dreams, have pictured how incredible all these colours on just one vehicle would be! But we have no doubt that he would be immensely pleased with what we have achieved.”
Image: QuickPic