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- Ford launched its new Ranger in the Western Cape in the first week of December 2022.
- The event included two days of 4×4 off-roading on rugged terrain to demonstrate just how capable the new bakkie is.
- The journey involves tarred roads to very rocky mountain “paths”.
- Click on the arrows on the images below to scroll through the photo gallery.
Ford launched it next generation Ranger earlier in December, but the routes we covered showed off all the new systems in this capable bakkie. Take us on a ride through the pictures…
I’m always in awe of discovering new places I never knew existed – especially when they’re right in front of me, and we’ve passed these extraordinary destinations without realizing it. Our launch began at Cape Town International Airport, and we headed towards Elgin via Sir Lowry’s Pass, which opened in 1830. According to Ford SA, it was named after the man who built the pass to connect the Cape and the Overberg and beyond . It was upgraded in 1958 and in 1984 to what it is today.
2022 Ford Ranger
2022 Ford Ranger
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We pop into Paul Cluver Wines for a quick bite before heading through rows of orchards of growing apples and pears towards the Hottentots Holland Mountains and into the Nature Reserve for a 15km rugged drive that will take around two and half an hour since we were traveling at about 5-10km/h.
WATCH | ‘Everything’s new’: Ford Ranger technology and features explained in a pretty cool nutshell
The next stint was an 80km ride from the Hottentots Mountains to the Breede River Valley. The Rangers were in 4High for most of the drive initially, and for a long time, my driving partner and I forgot to hit the diff lock button. However, we managed the rocky and tricky terrain without any trouble. I really like that you can change driving modes and select 2H or 4H on the fly via a dial on the center console between the two front seats. When you need 4L for when using slippery mode, then you will need to park the car in neutral to allow the car to make the necessary shift.
The 4×4 terrain was pretty rough, but never once did I feel like there were obstacles I couldn’t overcome. Ford engineer Ian Foston told us that the bakkie has a new transfer case, making off-roading a breeze in the new Ranger.
Next is a 150km journey to the Breede River, traveling inland north from the City of Cape Town, running in a west-to-east direction. Ford says the surrounding mountains to the west formed the first continental divide experienced by European settlers in the 18th century. Today, the Breede River Valley is the largest wine producing region in South Africa. From there we headed to De Doorns in the Karoo 1 – a welcome stopover for many fortune seekers in the late 1860s.
Day 2 started with a 50km drive into the Hex River Valley and Mountains, followed by a 115km off-road drive through the Bainskloof Pass.
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