Engineered to go further off-road without compromise, Ford’s new Ranger Wildtrak X is built to help owners tackle daily adventures and weekend escapes with a host of new trail-ready technologies and equipment. However, Ranger enthusiasts will have wait for a confirmed date for local availability as Namibian showrooms eagerly anticipate delivery dates from Ford.
Nevertheless, packed with capability and designed to help customers press on where others would be forced to turn back, the Wildtrak X is the latest member of the Ranger family. Positioned as a more off-road oriented version of the Ranger Wildtrak, the Wildtrak X opens new opportunities for exploration, and local pricing is expected to started off at just over N$1 million.
“The Ranger Wildtrak range has been immensely popular in southern Africa for more than a decade due to its trend-setting style, peerless status, innovative suite of driver assistance technologies and exceptional performance,” said Doreen Mashinini, General Manager for Marketing at Ford South Africa. “With the Wildtrak X we’re giving this prized nameplate a more muscular character and even greater off-road capability, enabling our customers to push the boundaries of an active, outdoor lifestyle”.
The launch of the Ranger Wildtrak X marks the first introduction of Ford’s pioneering Trail Turn Assist, which works in four-wheel drive off-road conditions (in 4H and 4L) to reduce the turning radius by up to 25%. This complements the ingenious Trail Control, first seen on the new Ranger Raptor, which manages the vehicle’s acceleration and braking in challenging terrain.
“If you love extreme adventures and you love exploring off road, you’re going to love the exciting new Ranger Wildtrak X,” Mashinini said.
Based on the hugely popular Ranger Wildtrak, the new Wildtrak X provides a perfect step towards more extreme adventure without compromising on the outstanding level of luxury and safety that are hallmarks of this high-spec model.
It has a 30mm wider stance to provide an even more stable footprint off-road, while ground clearance has risen by 26mm, helping owners to negotiate more challenging terrain with confidence.
To achieve this boost in both track width and ground clearance, Ford engineers fitted new-design 17-inch alloys wrapped in 265/70 R17 General Grabber AT3 all-terrain tyres with bold white lettering that emphasizes the vehicle’s sporty character. To ensure the Wildtrak X has the capability to take you to far-flung destinations well off the beaten track, it is equipped with specially tuned Bilstein Position-Sensitive Dampers that provide sure-footed performance in all types of terrain.
“We created Ranger Wildtrak X for people who want to get more from their bakkie,” Mashinini said. “For example, one of the first things keen off-roaders do is look at replacing their tyres and suspension with aftermarket options that are more focused to off-roading. We’re ensuring they don’t need to do this by giving them what they need right out of the factory”.
The Ranger Wildtrak X also introduces Ford’s innovative new Flexible Rack System, which is available as an option. Hidden in plain sight, it consists of two main components: a sliding load rack that can be locked into five positions along the length of the load bed, and folding roof racks that store inside the roof rails when not in use. The system can be operated by one person and doesn’t require any tools to set up or stow.
The high-tech cabin is centred around the eight-inch fully digital instrument cluster and portrait-oriented 12-inch touchscreen that controls Ford’s powerful SYNC 4A infotainment system. The Wildtrak X also features wireless device charging as standard and supports wireless Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™. Powerful connectivity is delivered by a FordPass Connect modem, which enables Ford Power-Up software updates to be carried out when required.