Around two-thirds of new models build will be exported to 100 markets.
With production having started in earnest in November last year, exports of the all-new Ford Ranger from the automaker’s Silverton Plant outside Pretoria have officially commenced to over 100 countries.
“We are proud to commence with Next-Gen Ranger exports to customers around the world from our manufacturing facility in South Africa,” the Blue Oval’s Vice-President for Operations in South Africa, Ockert, Berry said in a statement.
The result of a record R15.8-billion investment into the Silverton two years ago, followed by another R600-million into the Struandale Engine Plant in Gqeberha, formerly Port Elizabeth, where both the 2.0-litre Panther and 3.0-litre Lion V6 turbodiesel engines are made, the internally known T6.2 Ranger debuted in South Africa at the end of last year in double cab configuration only, recently joined by the single and SuperCab derivatives.
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According to Ford, a projected two-third of models made will be exported from the Durban and Gqeberha ports with Europe being the biggest market.
As a way though of preventing ongoing issues that have plagued the Durban port since the well-publicised cyber attack on Transnet last year, more emphasis will be placed on the Gqeberha terminal as the automaker additionally works to help develop a better rail-link between Gauteng and the Eastern Cape..
“We are excited about the huge export potential and continue to work with authorities to address bottlenecks such as high level of congestion at Durban’s roll-on roll-off vehicle terminal, as well as lack of rail infrastructure for Ford to direct most of its export as well as import through Gqeberha,” Berry said.
For the time being, road transport will be utilised in order for the export models to reach the mentioned ports until the rail infrastructure challenges are properly resolved.
With the respective investments at Silverton and Struandale, a total of 1 200 new day jobs were created. plus a further 10 000 in the local supply chain.
Presently, pricing for the Ranger range, which spans 23 models over three bodystyles, retails from R464 200 for the entry-level single turbo 2.0 single cab XL before topping out at R953 000 for the flagship 3.0 Wildtrak double cab 4WD automatic.
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