2018-07-26Staff Report 2 Staff Reporter Ford has for the first time unveiled to the world the highly anticipated Ford Ranger Raptor which is set to arrive in Southern Africa markets in the first half of 2019. The Raptor was unveiled in Australia where it re-emphasised its ability for bush bashing and tackling desolate deserts. The Ranger Raptor has 283mm of ground clearance and 150mm wider front and rear track. The front fenders are made from durable composite materials for exciting off-road adventures. The front bumper includes new LED fog lamps with air-curtain ducts, which reduce air resistance. The flared shape of the fenders have been designed to accommodate the long travel suspension and off-road tires. Inside are sports seats uniquely designed and trimmed in suede. Other sporting details distinguishing the Raptor include blue stitching and leather accents, as well as the aggressively styled instrument cluster. The steering wheel features perforated leather hand grip sections, paired with Raptor DNA lightweight magnesium paddle shifters for crisp gear changes. The Ranger Raptor is equipped with a new 2.0-liter Bi-Turbo diesel engine that delivers a maximum of 157kW of power and 500Nm of torque. This innovative power plant offers both high performance and efficiency, thanks to its combination of small, high pressure turbo and large, low-pressure turbo that work to provide performance when the customer demands it. “Our performance vehicles bring a different customer into Ford showrooms, and Ranger Raptor will help conquest new customers looking for a Ranger with immense off-road capability like no other. We have a passion for bringing the best to our customers, and Ranger Raptor showcases the best of Ford Performance’s expertise in performance vehicle design and engineering,” said Trevor Worthington, Vice-President, Product Development, Ford Asia Pacific. Last year Ford pumped N$3 billion in the South African car assembly plant so that it can start assembling the much-liked American bakkie, the Ford F-150 Raptor. This followed Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa receiving the green light from the American manufacturer to assemble and sell the Ford Raptor in Southern Africa – a vehicle that until now has been sold, outside USA, to left-hand drive and Latin American markets only. The Ford Raptor would be the new additional model to the now popular Ford Ranger model variety. “The first-ever Ford Ranger Raptor will be produced in South Africa when it hits the market in 2019, introducing an entirely new level of off-road performance and capability to the one-ton pickup segment,” the company said in a statement. As an exciting new addition to the Ford Performance family, the Ford Ranger Raptor is a purpose-built, desert-racing inspired model that builds on the unrivalled heritage of Ford Performance’s legendary F-150 Raptor, the world’s most extreme production pickup. The current Ranger programme has been an unprecedented success for Ford since it was launched in 2011, and the company has experienced remarkable growth in Ranger sales and market share, both locally and internationally, with its export programme to over 148 markets in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. 2018-07-26Staff Report 2
