By JAMES MUYANWA –
THE Ford Motor Company of South Africa has launched a new Ford Ranger to soon hit Zambia and other countries which are part of its market.
The first-ever 2.2-litre-automatic derivative was unveiled to journalists from Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) countries in George Town, in Western Cape last week.
The launch of the new car was preceded by a conducted tour of the Silverton Motor Assembly Plant in Pretoria where the Ford Rangers are manufactured from.
During the launch address, Ford Motor Company SSA region president and chief executive officer Jeff Nemeth said that the new car had been designed to respond to customer demands and specifications.
He said the Ranger’s fuel-efficient 2.2-litre diesel engine was more powerful than ever with the comprehensive Electronic Stability Programme (ESP) which made its performance to keep pace with any job, anywhere, whether on the worksite or the weekend.
During the tour of the Silverton Motor Assembly Plant, plant manager Kevin Heunis said that on average more than 400 motor vehicles were manufactured per day at the plant.
As many as 85,000 cars are produced every year.
The Silverton Assembly Plant features state-of-the-art automation (robots) utilising Ford’s global manufacturing processes.
In recent years, Africa has emerged as an increasingly important region for Ford, with continued investment and growth.
In 2008, Ford announced plans to build the Ford Ranger at its Silverton Assembly Plant with an investment of R3.4 billion.
The investment allowed Ford to transform both its South African plants into world-class facilities to produce the Ford Ranger and Duratorq TDCi engines for local use and export.
The Ford Ranger is exported to 148 countries in Africa, Middle East and Europe, while engines and machined components are supplied to Argentina, Thailand, North America, India and China.
Ford’s growth story goes beyond its manufacturing expansion in South Africa where in 2015 it sold 78,471 passenger cars as well as light commercial vehicles, the highest number on record.
The South African-built Ranger pick-up performed particularly well, with an 18.1 per cent year-on-year increase in sales and a total of 33,920 Rangers sold in 2015.
In Zambia, Ford motor vehicles are distributed by CFAO Zambia.