Publications
Partners
• Ford's all-new Ranger bakkie will debut in South Africa later in 2022.
• The new Ranger is said to be more versatile than ever before.
• Among the additions to the bakkie are rear load box access steps.
• For more motoring stories, visit Wheels24
As we edge closer to the all-new Ford Ranger's local debut, the automaker has announced several highlights on its bakkie prospective customers can look forward to. Among these is the versatility the bakkie is endowed with, making it ideal for both work and play.
The next-generation Ranger will again be built at Ford's Silverton plant in Pretoria for local and export markets. Over the last year, Ford Global invested heavily in their South African operations, prepping the factories - both Silverton and the engine plant in Port Elizabeth (now Gqeberha) - for the new bakkie's production.
Ford is adamant that its next Ranger will speak to a broader audience than ever before and that it will boast innovative features - both inside and out.
Gary Boes, Enterprise Product Line Management director, Global Trucks, says: "Our intent was not to simply create a good bakkie. We wanted to deliver an exceptional one that people would want to own - one that customers around the world could trust to tackle anything."
New Ranger's versatilities
Cargo box
• The rear load box access step makes climbing up into the cargo box much easier. Attached directly to the load box via two steel supports, you no longer need to climb onto the wheel to access gear, tools or equipment in the back of Ranger.
• Load box lighting allows you to easily see the contents that you're carrying in the back of the Ranger (for ease of loading and unloading) by illuminating the cargo area.
READ: Old vs New - These design changes reveal differences on Ford's new Ranger bakkie
• Zone lighting can be controlled via the infotainment system inside the vehicle or via the FordPass app on your smartphone. A combination of the headlights, puddle lamps, numberplate lamps and box lighting can be set to illuminate a 360-degree area around the truck, or in specific areas.
• The easy-lift tailgate, raised and lowered with one hand, doubles as a mobile workbench. The tailgate work surface is designed to help owners with professional or DIY jobs. Two clamp pockets concealed by spring-loaded caps in the tailgate are designed to help secure timber or other project materials, while a built-in ruler with 10mm increments (on models not fitted with a drop-in bed liner) makes measuring convenient.
• Power to the box comes in the form of a power socket in the load box that's compatible with portable electronics and appliances.
