The next few months are going to be big in terms of bakkie news. And it’s not just new stuff, but some seriously high-performance options to offer. Stop at any traffic light in the country in a double cab and you just know that the guy stopping beside you in his double cab won’t back down from the duel. Ford Ranger Stormtrak So, before you accuse me of being silly by testing double-cab trays, or even bringing up the topic, take a moment to consider that trays are a…
The next few months are going to be big in terms of bakkie news. And it’s not just new stuff, but some seriously high-performance options to offer.
Stop at any traffic light in the country in a double cab and you just know that the guy stopping beside you in his double cab won’t back down from the duel.
Ford Ranger Stormtrak
So, before you accuse me of being silly by testing dual cab trays, or even discussing the topic, take a moment to consider that trays make up the bulk of the aftermarket performance market in South Africa. And this week we’re here to talk about our long-range Ford Ranger Stormtrak and share our thoughts on the hotter stuff that’s on the way from Ford and others.
Our Ford Ranger Stormtrak runs a 2.0 liter bi-turbodiesel engine that produces 157 kW of power and 500 Nm of torque and is currently the most powerful Ranger you can buy from a Ford showroom floor.
Its 0 to 100 km/h sprint time is achieved in 12.70 seconds and a distance of 1 km at 157 km/h when properly used with the 10-speed automatic transmission. Click the link below to view the full road test results.
I’ll save you some time looking for it, but this time it’s a bit slower than the current Toyota Hilux Legend 2.8-GD turbodiesel.
With a power of 150kW/500Nm, the Hilux takes 12.38 seconds to reach 100 km/h from rest and registers a speed of 1km at 162 km/h.
READ ALSO: Toyota Hilux GR-S Overtakes Ford Ranger to Close the Distance with Amarok
We haven’t managed to get our hands on the new 140kW/450Nm Nissan Navara in 4×4 guise, or the recently released Isuzu D-Max pushing the same numbers.
Basically, this means that the 0 to 100 km/h time will stay within 12 seconds and the 1 km speed at, or approximately, 160 km/h.
The V6 pair is way ahead
Obviously, the V6 turbodiesel offerings from Mercedes-Benz with their discontinued X-Class and Volkswagen with the soon to be replaced Amarok, are light years ahead of the four-cylinder offerings of the competition.
The X-Class 190kW/550Nm hit 100 km/h in 9.43 seconds and 1 km at 173 km/h, while the Amarok 190kW/580Nm sped to 8.14 seconds 0-100 km/h and a speed of 178 km/h in 1km. .
And the incoming Ranger and Amarok will also offer a 3.0-liter V6 turbodiesel engine with an output of 184kW/600Nm. They will no doubt be competing for the top spot on the podium.
But this is all about to change, and the bakkie who will reign supreme is the Ford Ranger in Raptor guise…
The amazing new Ford Ranger Raptor
If you want to get past the Ford Ranger Raptor on the road or off, then you’ll have to come into battle with the more than 292 kW of power and 583 Nm of torque that this particular bakkie will offer from its V6. EcoBoost 3.0 liter twin-turbo petrol engine.
For more information on the new Ford Ranger Raptor, click here.
Ford Performance has ensured the engine provides an immediate response to throttle input, and the race anti-lag system allows for fast delivery of boost on demand.
This anti-lag system, available in Baja mode, keeps the turbocharger running for up to three seconds after the driver has withdrawn from the throttle, allowing for faster restart of acceleration in corners or between gears when the driver hits the accelerator again.
Mated to the now tried and tested 10-speed automatic transmission, each gear is programmed with its drive profile, while an electronically controlled active exhaust system amplifies the engine’s tone in four selectable drive modes, Silent, Normal, Sport and Steel.
How much did this madness cost? We don’t know yet, but our Ranger Stormtrak is currently priced at R857 400. This includes a comprehensive four-year/120,000km warranty, three-year/unlimited distance roadside assistance, and a six-year/90,000km service plan.