It is highest export volume for the year, surpassing the 8 595 units exported in June 2022. Combined with domestic sales of 1 604 units, total Ranger volume for September reached 11 433 units.

“It’s encouraging to see that global demand for the current Ranger remains high even during its run-out phase and despite the challenges we have faced over the past two years,” says Dhiren Vanmali, Executive Sales Operations Director.

“The global automotive industry remains severely constrained owing to the ongoing chip shortage and the lingering disruption to shipping logistics as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Vanmali says. “Accordingly, our operations have been hampered by numerous supply constraints throughout this year, and our production facilities haven’t been able to run at full capacity.

“However, the situation is improving thanks to the hard work and dedication of our purchasing, manufacturing and logistics teams as well as our supplier network, and this is reflected in our export results for September,” Vanmali says. “It bodes well for the upcoming and exciting launch of our Next-Gen Ranger, which remains on track for the end of the fourth quarter this year.”

Ford invested R15.8-billion in its Silverton Assembly Plant operations and supplier tooling for the Next-Gen Ranger, which is now capable of producing up to 200 000 vehicles a year.

An additional R600-million was invested in the Struandale Engine Plant in Gqeberha for the launch of the new 3.0-litre V6 diesel engine that will power the range-topping Next-Gen Ranger models. It also introduced updated versions of the current 2.0-litre Single Turbo and Bi-Turbo engines that are assembled at the Struandale plant and which will be the mainstay of the new Ranger line-up.

Ford has also received unprecedented customer interest in the Next-Gen Everest, as well as for the powerful Next-Gen Ranger Raptor, which will be launched in the first quarter of 2023. With the Silverton Assembly Plant expanding its Ranger production, the Next-Gen Everest and Ranger Raptor are now fully imported from Thailand instead of being locally assembled, as was the case with the outgoing range.