Ford hopes to steal opposition’s Thunder with new Ranger

It’s a bit of a four-legged welcome for our Ford Ranger Thunder to our long-term test fleet at The Citizen. Our bakkie arrived on World Dog Day and this also coincided with Ford paying tribute to their own robot dogs.

On the human side, we used our Ranger Thunder to deliver some much-needed dog food to the good people at The Animal Guardians in Benoni. And, on the tech side, we were introduced to Fluffy and Spot, the two robotic dogs that Ford is leasing to be deployed into tough-to-reach areas within the plant.

Meet Fluffy, the robo-dog.

While these four-legged, dog-like robots can sit, shake hands, and roll over, they are working ‘’canines’’ that come equipped with five cameras, can travel up to 5km/h on a battery lasting nearly two hours and are used to scan the plant floor and assist engineers in updating the original computer-aided design which is utilised when they are getting ready to retool their plants – thus save Ford engineers time and money.

The key to Fluffy and Spot’s success is their agility. The robots have three operational gaits – a walk for stable ground, an amble for uneven terrain and a special speed for stairs. They can change position from a crouch to a stretch, and can handle tough terrain, from grates to steps to 30-degree inclines. If they fall, they can right themselves and they maintain a safe, set distance from objects to prevent collisions. But more on the latest edition to Ford’s Ranger line-up.

After spending some quality time in the Raptor and 2.0-litre bi-turbo Wildtrak 4×4 over the last year, we’ll put the exclusive limited-edition Thunder through its paces. The Thunder is positioned between the Wildtrak and Raptor and includes a raft of unique design and functional enhancements to an already popular bakkie.

Having been dethroned by the Toyota Hilux as South Africa’s top selling double cab recently, Ford will be looking to make up lost ground with the addition of the Thunder to its range.

Doreen Mashinini, general manager marketing at Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa said: “As the winner of the 2020 International Pick-up Award, the locally assembled Ford Ranger is proudly one of South Africa’s most popular vehicles, and continues to set the benchmark for style, luxury and a vast array of technologies that enhance driving convenience as well as safety.

“We are delighted to add the exciting new limited-edition Ranger Thunder, which adds a sportier and even more exclusive dimension to what is already one of the pickup segment’s front-runners. There are also several enhancements to the already impressive list of standard features on XLS and XLT models, which gives customers even greater value for money, as well as improved driving safety.”

It worth mentioning that the first trip our Ranger Thunder will be taking is to Ford’s engine building plant in Port Elizabeth, and on our way, we plan to bring you an update on all the benchmark technology and luxury to be found in this bakkie. Our next update will be on 4 November when Charl Bosch returns from the Eastern Cape.

Priced at R787 000, it comes standard with Ford Protect, comprising a four-year/120 000 km comprehensive warranty, three-year/unlimited distance roadside assistance and five-year/unlimited kilometre corrosion warranty. A six-year/90 000 km service plan is included, with 15 000km service intervals. For more information about the Ford Ranger Thunder visit ford.co.za.

For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.