Image: Ford
Image: Ford
Image: Ford
Image: Ford
Industry NewsBy: Siyavuya Mbaduli
Exciting times for the Blue Oval as they have commenced exports of the Next-Generation Ranger from its manufacturing plants in South Africa to serve the ever-growing customer demand. Ford has recently confirmed that the new Ranger is being shipped to over 100 global markets, including Europe.
Image: Ford
Ford invested R15,8 billion in its Silverton Assembly Plant operations and supplier tooling for the Next-Gen Ranger, which is now capable of producing up to 200 000 vehicles a year. Late last year, the Silverton Assembly Plant in Pretoria became Ford’s third manufacturing hub across its International Markets Group to start production of this highly anticipated new global model.
Monthly export volumes from South Africa operations are expected to be around two-thirds of total production, through the Durban and Gqeberha (formerly Port Elizabeth) ports, with Europe being the largest export market. This makes Ford one of South Africa’s highest-volume vehicle exporters and a leader in the light commercial vehicle export category.
Image: Ford
An additional R600 million was invested in the Struandale Engine Plant for the launch of the powerful 3,0-litre V6 Diesel engine that headlines the Next-Gen Ranger line-up, along with upgrades for the latest-specification 2,0-litre Single-Turbo and 2,0-litre Bi-Turbo engines. Ford has also received unprecedented customer interest in the next-generation Everest, as well as for the renowned Next-Gen Ranger Raptor, which will be launched in the first quarter of 2023.
With the Silverton Assembly Plant mainly focusing on the production of the Ranger, the Next-Gen Everest and Ranger Raptor are now fully imported from Thailand instead of being locally assembled. Just as a reminder, the highly anticipated Ranger Raptor will replace the 157 kW/500 N.m 2,0-litre bi-turbo diesel engine with a twin-turbo 3,0-litre V6 engine that produces 292 kW of power and 491 N.m of torque, matched to a more advanced suspension and drivetrain.
Image: Ford
The expanded production for the Next-Gen Ranger also contributed to significant job creation, thanks to the addition of a third production shift at the Silverton plant in 2022. This further reinforced Ford’s commitment to South Africa as one of five global manufacturing hubs for the Next-Gen Ranger.
Keyword: Exports begin for the Next-Gen Ford Ranger bakkie from Mzansi