Ford South Africa has confirmed that the Ford Ranger Super Duty will be launched in South Africa in 2027.
Image: Supplied
Ford South Africa has confirmed that the Ford Ranger Super Duty will be launched in South Africa in 2027, introducing a heavier-duty version of the Ranger aimed at customers who require greater towing, payload and off-road capability.
While Ford has not yet released local specifications or pricing details, the South African model will in all likelihood share much of the same details as the Australian market.
Developed by Ford’s International Markets Group Product Development team, the Ranger Super Duty was created specifically for demanding commercial and industrial applications.
Ford says the project was shaped through direct consultation with customers in sectors such as agriculture, mining, forestry, utilities and emergency services.
“Ranger Super Duty blends the smart features and advanced safety of the award-winning Ranger with heavy-duty capability and delivers what our buyers told us they needed but couldn’t get anywhere else,” said Neale Hill, the President of Africa Operations.
“This enhanced capability of the vehicle will give owners the flexibility they need to get the big jobs done, with the confidence of a factory-backed warranty.”
The vehicle will also target recreational buyers who tow large caravans, horseboxes or overlanding equipment across long distances and remote terrain.
While Ford has not yet released local specifications or pricing details, the South African model will in all likelihood share much of the same details as the Australian market.
Image: Supplied
Aussie specification likely
In Australia the Ranger Super Duty uses Ford’s familiar 3.0-litre turbo-diesel V6 engine paired with the familiar 10-speed automatic transmission and a full-time four-wheel drive system with a low-range transfer case.
Outputs are listed at 154kW and 600Nm, the same as current V6 Ranger derivatives already sold locally but with the focus placed on durability, sustained towing ability, axle load capacity and payload capability.
The Aussie Super Duty has a reinforced chassis using thicker-gauge steel, additional frame bracing, upgraded axles, heavy-duty suspension components, larger brakes and thicker driveshafts.
It also gets heavy-duty front and rear differentials, eight-stud rims, steel underbody protection and a frame-mounted steel front bumper.
It’s fitted with electronic locking differentials on both the front and rear axles from the factory.
The off-road package is expected to include low-range, Trail Control, Trail Turn Assist, rock crawl mode and seven selectable drive modes.
It rides on 18-inch steel wheels fitted with all-terrain tyres and has a wider 1,710mm track width, ground clearance of up to 299mm and a wading depth of 850mm.
The Super Duty has a 4,500kg braked towing capacity, 4,500kg gross vehicle mass and an 8,000kg gross vehicle mass rating (GVM). Payload is quoted at up to 1,982kg and importantly it has a 130-litre fuel tank for long-distance towing and remote-area operation.
Ford says the vehicle will be offered locally in both single-cab and double-cab body styles, allowing it to serve as a platform for multiple industries and conversion applications.
The Ford Ranger Super Duty is aimed at customers who require greater towing, payload and off-road capability.
Image: Supplied
License snag
Because the Super duty has a GVM that exceeds 3,500kg drivers would need to have a Code C1 (formally a Code 10) license.
A Ford representative said that the vehicle is not yet in South Africa for homologation and once that process has been completed and the specification finalised they would release more details.
Ford Pro Convertor programme
The manufacturer added that the vehicle will form part of its Ford Pro Convertor programme, which allows approved specialist fitters to modify vehicles for industry-specific applications while keeping to Ford’s engineering and quality standards.
That could include mining conversions, service bodies, overlanding builds, emergency response units or armoured applications.
“With Ford Pro Converters the sky really is the limit,” Hill added.
“Customers can work with their preferred dealer to adapt their Super Duty to suit their specific industry or personal requirements whether it’s adding a bullet proof conversion or adapting the loadbed for a specific use-case.”
Inside, the Ranger Super Duty is expected to remain closely aligned to the current Ford Ranger.