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TRAIN RATED: IF you have a really big boat or like to tow your Nguni cattle to market in a trailer with your bakkie (instead of on a truck), the new Ford Range is just for you.
Ford’s new Ranger, due in South Africa later in 2011, is a proudly Australian engineering exercise.
Is it enough of bakkie to stand up to the rigours of use South African customers subject their bakkies to?
Designed and configured by Ford’s Victoria based engineering bureau in a project worth R4.5bn, the T6 Ranger will take on Toyota Hilux, Nissan’s Navara and VW’s Amarok in a high-stakes game for turbodiesel bakkie supremacy.
In an attempt to illustrate just how capable its new Ranger is as an authentic bakkie workhorse, Ford’s Australian media office have posted a video clip of the Ranger towing a 160t locomotive with ease.
Calculate the numbers involved and yes, the Ranger's feat is around 156.5t more than most even the most powerful Amarok or Navara is rated at.
The Ranger used to tow the locomotive in question was powered by Ford’s new turbodiesel trump card, the 3.2-litre Duratorq TDCI I5.
Ford's new in-line five cylinder turbodiesel engine produces 147kW at 3000rpm and 470Nm at 2750rpm, and although these numbers are not class leading they are wholly competitive; second only, in fact, to the Navara's V9X engine. All the power in the world is only as good as the traction a drivetrain can manage, and it is here that the Ford Ranger shows its worth.
For the towing video clip traction was gained via all four wheels thanks to Ford’s new six-speed automatic transmission, towing in low range, with the electronically locking rear differential countering slip.
With the Amarok setting refinement standards, Navara currently offering the most powerful turbodiesel bakkie ever on sale locally and Hilux still the undisputed market leader Ford’s new Ranger appears to be equal to the challenge of gaining its fair allocation of market share.
Is it enough of bakkie to stand up to the rigours of use South African customers subject their bakkies to?
Designed and configured by Ford’s Victoria based engineering bureau in a project worth R4.5bn, the T6 Ranger will take on Toyota Hilux, Nissan’s Navara and VW’s Amarok in a high-stakes game for turbodiesel bakkie supremacy.
In an attempt to illustrate just how capable its new Ranger is as an authentic bakkie workhorse, Ford’s Australian media office have posted a video clip of the Ranger towing a 160t locomotive with ease.
Calculate the numbers involved and yes, the Ranger's feat is around 156.5t more than most even the most powerful Amarok or Navara is rated at.
The Ranger used to tow the locomotive in question was powered by Ford’s new turbodiesel trump card, the 3.2-litre Duratorq TDCI I5.
Ford's new in-line five cylinder turbodiesel engine produces 147kW at 3000rpm and 470Nm at 2750rpm, and although these numbers are not class leading they are wholly competitive; second only, in fact, to the Navara's V9X engine. All the power in the world is only as good as the traction a drivetrain can manage, and it is here that the Ford Ranger shows its worth.
For the towing video clip traction was gained via all four wheels thanks to Ford’s new six-speed automatic transmission, towing in low range, with the electronically locking rear differential countering slip.
With the Amarok setting refinement standards, Navara currently offering the most powerful turbodiesel bakkie ever on sale locally and Hilux still the undisputed market leader Ford’s new Ranger appears to be equal to the challenge of gaining its fair allocation of market share.
