Bucket Seat: Ford Ranger Raptor

Last year I had the Ford Ranger Raptor on test and it was the first time I experienced a "performance bakkie" and at the time I never really saw a need for such a vehicle. Before the official Ranger Raptor was launched, there were many places offering "kits" and stickers to make a normal Ranger look like a supposedly Raptor but then Ford decided to pull reigns and release an actual Ranger Raptor to stamp their authority on the market. The Ranger Raptor comes fitting with a 2.0L Bi-Turbo diesel that churns out 157kW and 500Nm of torque, I mean for a bakkie that is a lot of towing power but people who buy this van aren't buying it as a work horse but rather something to have fun with. Ford sent me the Raptor again last month and fortunately I had some work down in the KZN South Coast, which involved a lot of off -road driving, in mixed conditions and I had the perfect opportunity to put this beast to the test. 

When it comes to styling, I said it before, Ford got this one right, most of these kits we see on standard Rangers are over done and make the car look ghastly, with the Raptor, its more of a minimalistic approach where the concentration was aligned with the practicality of the car. A lot of the design was centered on what they wanted to van to do rather than just the looks, so with the wide body, the Raptors front face being shorter than the normal Ranger, with a metal scuff plate underneath to protect the under carriage from potential damage in high-speed bush whacking. The Raptor comes with a MacPherson strut design, double-wishbone front Fox racing suspension with coil-spring solid axle with Watts linkage at the rear. This along with the huge 17" 285/70 tyres allows you to conquer just about any terrain with relative ease and also, with some speed. 

Navigating the gravel roads in both the rain and wet proved to be effortless for the Ranger Raptor, ride quality was unmatched to other bakkies in its class, the car was so comfortable in this setting that it actually wanted you to go faster and that is when I appreciated the engineering that went into this car even more. The way it manages to grip to the surface but maintain composure is really something else. All of this happening on the outside while you are pretty relaxed in a comfy cabin, fitted with racing  seats for driver and front passenger, finished in a suede with stitching and heating, dual climate control and the huge infotainment screen with Ford Sync 3, which has built in Android Auto and Apple Car Play. Being an Android user I made use of the Android Auto, which worked seamlessly, my only gripe would have to be connectivity with the cable, but that is more for Google to sort out than Ford as it is an OS issue. On normal road driving it would be fine but when you're making your own roads in the middle of no-where, the connection between cable and device might break off now and then which doesn't help you when you are driving and enjoying your favourite track only for it to cut off and you have to spend time trying to re-link it. 

Anyway, back to driving, when it comes to most 4x4's, many tend to prefer the manual gearbox but the Ranger Raptor ain't your normal off roader so the 10-speed auto box is the perfect fit for this, also Ford given you paddles on the steering should you feel the need to down change or want the manual feel while driving, it really enhances the rally feel and often you even forget about the sheer size of this thing, because the Raptor is longer, wider and higher than a normal Ranger Wildtrack which in itself is massive. Parking this beast is a bit tricky at first but with all the tech like PDC's and reverse camera to help you with it, you will master it quicker than you would expect to. Overall, my second experience with the Ranger Raptor surpassed my first and I really got to appreciate the type of vehicle Ford built here. It's not just a status symbol, if its used for the purposes its built for, you will soon discover there is really nothing else like it on the market. It truly is worth the price tag which now is just shy of 900K. 

Bucket Seat: Ford Everest Bi-Turbo Limited AWD

When it comes to SUV's in the SA market, the two heavyweights which battle for market dominance in-terms of sales figures, are the Toyota Fortuner and Ford Everest. While both are very similar in overall aspects, Toyota did have the upper hand with more engine variant offerings than Ford with them only having the 2.2L and 3.2L liter diesel options, but recently Ford South Africa have introduced their new 2.0L Bi-Turbo Diesel which is set to stir things up for them as the Everest is already a great offering and with this new engine variant it can only do good things for the brand. I had the opportunity to spend a week with the new Ford South Africa Everest 2.0L Bi-Turbo as well as take it on a cross country trip from the coast to Johannesburg to see how it goes, here are my thoughts on the car. 

DESIGN

To me the Everest has always been the best looking 7-seater SUV on the market and it still remains that with this new model receiving subtle styling enhancements but the overall looking remaining very much the same. It goes with the saying, don't fix something if it ain't broke and Ford reservedly did so. The car has that American charm to it, even though it features the Ranger front end but sporting a different grille, the way the car is sculptured with added bulk on the wheel arches, flowing lines along the side to give the side profile a very professional look before tying in perfectly at the back with the longitudinal lamps. The car is very classy and even more so in this Frozen White paint work. The model specification I had was the top of the range Limited which has 18" rims, a lot of chrome accents, ventilated brake discs up front and a whole lot of safety features. The inside also remains very similar to the previous model, pretty much the same set-up as the Ranger but more softer materials to give it that family/ luxury feel rather than that of a bakkie. 

PERFORMANCE

As mentioned, this is Ford's all-new 2.0L Bi-Turbo Diesel engine, it's teamed up with a new 10-speed automatic gearbox which combined with the performance from the engine make it a dream to drive. The old 6-speed automatic wasn't too bad and performed well with the 3.2L diesel engine but with the 2.2L it had it searched for that perfect medium but now with the 10-speed box it knows the ratios to produce the optimal performance when needed and it helps with the fuel economy. The 2.0L Bi-Turbo diesel engine produces 157kW with 500Nm of torque, with the Limited being all-wheel-drive, this torque is transferred to all four wheels and makes the car quite quick off the start on tar roads. Ford say the claimed fuel consumption to be 7.6L to the 100km, a figure that I didn't get close to on my long distance trip but then again with all the road-works on the N3 it would have been difficult to achieve this but still, keeping that figure to under 10L per 100km in a big vehicle like this, with a full load was pretty pretty impressive. 

COMFORT

So with this being the Limited model, it comes kitted out with all the nice stuff, leather seats for ALL 7 seats, my favourite party trick from this model is the automatic folding third row seating which you can control from the luggage compartment. The third row folds flat to give you even more luggage space if required. Upfront you have seat heating for driver and front passenger, the large infotainment screen with Ford's SYNC 3, this model did not have Apple Car Play or Android Auto preloaded as per  normal but there is an option for you to do that via Wi-Fi, yes you can make a Wi-Fi hotspot via the car for the entire cabin which is also pretty cool. The second row seats is as luxurious if not more than the front, they get their own zone climate control with controls at the back. Being a big vehicle you're going to need some assistance getting around so it comes with front and rear PDC's as well as a rear view parking camera. The cruise control took me a while to figure out, but once it was activated it was smooth sailing from there as it has active cruise control which slows down if it sensors the car in front of you slowing down. It has blind spot monitoring and lane departure warning as well should you stray across and not notice, which is easy to do in a big car like this. 

OFF-ROAD

Being a fully fledged off-roader, I was hoping to take it out off the beaten track but unfortunately didn't get the time to do so but you'll be pleased to know it comes with all the bells and whistles for this application.  From Hill Descent Control, Hill Launch Assist, Roll-Over Mitigation, EBD and ESP. The jog shuttle dial system for selection of road conditions make it easy for anyone to use. The front suspension is independent with coil spring and anti roll bar, while the rear being coil spring with Watt Links. The transmission is 4WD with electronic locking rear differential, with final drive 3.31. 

VERDICT

Overall this new offering from Ford which becomes the range topping model did no wrong while I had it. It's honestly still one of the best 7-seater SUV offerings on the market and while it does have stiff competition, there will be key differences which the Ford has that will win it over from the opposition. It offers a great ride, fantastic build quality and the equipment that comes as standard is great. While being a sizable car, it doesn't take you very long to get used to the size of the car when driving it around. The cabin is spacious and with the panoramic sunroof, it just gives you that illusion of it being much bigger. 

SPECIFICATIONS

Engine	2L, Bi-Turbo Diesel
Gear Box	10-Speed Auto
Torque	500Nm
Power	157kW
Consumption	7.6L/100km
Price	R819,400

 

Bucket Seat: Ford Raptor

We've all seen that Top Gear Special, the one where Jeremy and James had to go up a snow capped mountain in V8 pick-up trucks to rescue Hammond. Jeremy used a Ford F150 SVT Raptor Hennesy edition which was equipped with a beast of a V8 engine. That's when we all Googled and fell in love with what Ford USA had in-terms of performance "bakkies" as you would have it. It took a few years but it seems that Ford realised that the local crazy for this sort of vehicle is quite real in the local market and hence the Ford Ranger Raptor was brought in. Now this is the first Ranger Raptor made, Raptor models were only the F150 variant in the US, and those are quite huge. Not suited to our local roads nor our local drivers. When it came to marketing the Ranger Raptor, Ford did it right, from the very first testing to the international launch and then the local launch, giving the public info that had petrol heads salivating for more. Better news came in just before the local launch that the car would be assembled here in South Africa, so even better reasoning to own one.  I got drive the Ranger Raptor for a week and here are my thoughts on this beast of the bakkie world. 

DESIGN

When it comes to performance cars, there is a fair about of changes in the body work to make it look the part, this is where I commend Ford as they've certainly made the Ranger Raptor look fierce and menacing. Changes come from all over with this one. The car comes fitted with a wide body and not just a kit, the arches are further flared and have robust plastic on the edges. The front bump is raised and more slim line creating an even wider look to it, it's also made from that robust plastic that follows through along the sides. It has a brushed aluminum scuff plate in the front, to protect the engine from any rocks or unwanted objects and a revised grille with Ford in big and bold. The lights with the daytime running LED strip add character to the overall look of the car. Raptor stickers are prominent on the sides and a Raptor badge on the back. The back bumper also has a reinforced steel bit underneath which is connected to the chassis for extra strength, The car comes fitting with huge side steps, like these are the widest I've even seen on a bakkie or SUV, I guess the wide frame caters for it but they do get rather dirty, especially when you flying through mud. The Raptor has 17" multispoke rims which are fitted onto huge all terrain tyres which are there for functional purposes but add to the look. 

PERFORMANCE

Now while we all dream of a Ranger with a big noisy V8, practically it wouldn't make sense, hence Ford put in a whole new 2 litre bi-turbo diesel engine. Now there were a lot of purist shaking their head at this, firstly it wasn't petrol, secondly it wasn't a V, not even a V6 but in-terms of performance delivery, it was killing it man! 157kW of power with 500Nm of torque , combine that with the 10 speed quick shifting gearbox gives you better peak performance than the regular 3.2L motors. While they want this bakke to go fast, they just don't want it to perform on normal surfaces but all types of surfaces, hence the multi-terrain mode with Baja, Sport, Weather, Mud/ Sand/ Rock Crawl and Normal. All part of its cutting-edge terrain management system. Baja Mode dials down traction, improves responsiveness and shifting speed while optimising the performance on high-speed desert runs. The Ranger Raptor comes with 2.5" FOX Racing shocks as standard, this coming from the teachings of the F150 Raptor's race-bred suspension and crafted for this vehicle. I took the Ranger Raptor on some dirt/ sand/ and mud driving, how the car remains composed to the change in surfaces is simple sublime all while maintaining speed and stability. It really is so much fun on the dirt roads, you have to experience it to know what I'm saying. 

COMFORT

While the Ranger Raptor does have sports shocks and suspension, the comfort of the ride is pretty good. I mean at high speeds on gravel road there is minimal cabin noise, not that much shudder, I would be like if I said it was smooth but it was smooth as you can get in a bakkie. Space wise, the cabin is the same size as your normal Ranger, the wide body does nothing for the increase in cabin space but it's spacious none-the-less. It seats four adults with ease, with generous leg room for the rear passengers. It has dual zone climate control which is controlled via the big multi-media touch screen which has Fords SYNC3 loaded onto it. It has mobile applications built-in so if you have Apple Car Play or Android Auto it's just plug and play. The detailing in the interior is pretty rad, the front and driver get sports styled seats, with Raptor stitched in below the head rests. There's a leather dash with different colour stitching, the instrument cluster is more sportier with illuminating needles in red and the steering wheel has a thick red marker on the center to let you know when it's straight. 

VERDICT

Like many, I was a bit apprehensive about this model, the Raptor name has a lot to live up to after it's cult history in the US and with an introduction to it in the Ranger line-up, it had a lot to do to change peoples perceptions on it. Well it certainly changed mine, the engine is a peach, so responsive and with a great noise to it. The styling is on point, and while the car is wide it has many driver aids to assist you in navigating it around, from lane departure warnings to reverse camera. Being a diesel motor, it's also pretty fuel efficient with me getting just over 700km on a tank. The tech it comes loaded with beats some family sedans out there so while it may be a work horse its very practical too. The bin might be slightly smaller than some bakkies but more than adequate for general storage, but please, if you do buy one, do not put a canopy on it, it would just ruin the look of the car. I am left seriously impressed by the Ranger Raptor and it is a firm line in the sand as to where and how a performance bakkie should be made, so the competition need to up their game in this aspect. 

SPECIFICATIONS

Engine	2.0L, Bi-Turbo Diesel
Gear Box	10 Speed Automatic with paddle shift
Torque	500Nm
Power	157kW
Consumption	8.3L/100km
Price	R836,700*

*Base Price

Bucket Seat: Ferrari F8 Tributo

Last week South Africa was introduced to Ferrari's latest iteration of its mid engine V8 Berlinetta, the F8 Tributo. After winning Engine of the year, for 3 years in a row, this 3.9 litre bi-turbo V8 crushed its competition by achieving 429 points in the above 650PS category, beating their own V12 engine from the Superfast by 612 points. Ferrari have always prided themselves as master engine builders but having the cars to suit the engines as well, this engine also featured in the 488GTB, 488 Spider and 599 Pista but tuned differently. 

The Tributo pays tribute to this award winning engine and encapsulates everything that is Ferrari in a car. From the design, to the performance, making it the most potent variant to date. It does 0-100km/h in just 2.9 seconds, 0-200km/h in 7.8 seconds and has a top speed of 340km/h.  The car is lighter and faster than the out going 488 GTB, the design which was done by the Ferrari Styling Center emphasizes the companies key characteristics of high performance and extreme aerodynamic efficiency. There is also elements of past Ferrari's in there, like GTB's of old and the engine cover which is similar to that of the F40. The design features a state-of-the-art aerodynamic system which is derived from the companies Formula One team, to minimize drag, maximize down force and make the driver feel one with the car. 

SPECIFICATIONS

Engine	3.9 litre bi-turbo
Gear Box	7 Speed dual clutch
Horse power	710 bhp @ 8000 rpm
0-100km/h	2.9 seconds
Price	R 5,500,000

Over the weekend I was lucky enough to get up close and personal with the F8 Tributo at the Durban showroom and was afforded the opportunity to photograph it as well as sit inside and start her up. I was left with goosebumps for the rest of the day. Here are some pictures from the shoot for you to enjoy. 

Pictures by @mvrc1988 

Bucket Seat: Ford Ranger Raptor

Ford's much anticipated Ranger Raptor was officially launched this week in the salt pans of the majestic Northern Cape. Local journalists and influencers had their chance to put the brutish bakkie through its paces over the week and from what we've seen, its a winner for sure. While SA's market for bakkies is a strong one, there has never been an outright performance bakkie available for local consumers. Yes VW has the Amarok V6 4 Motion but with its price tag, it wouldn't be the most appealing for your regular Joe. Which is why the Ranger Raptor pricing is so important bring under the 800K mark. 

So what are you getting with Ford's Ranger Raptor? Is it all just looks or does the engine packs the punch that all this fanfare delivers? Well we are happy to report that the Ranger Raptor's power plant is purely performance bred with a 2.0 litre B-Turbo diesel engine that delivers a maximum of 157kW and 500Nm of torque. It's an innovative power plant that offers both high performance and efficiency thanks to its combinations of a small high-pressure turbo and large low-pressure turbo that work to provide optimal performance throughout the engine speed range. The efficiency is helped by Ford's all-new 10 speed automatic transmission which is created with high-strength steel, aluminium alloys and composites to optimize durability and weight. 

The Rapture DNA which originates from Fords F150 range is clearly evident in this Ranger model with Ford giving it a tough core, which has been extensively modified for high speeds and endurance in the toughest driving conditions and is built to withstand high-impact-off-road encounters. The frame consists of various grades of high-strength low-alloy steel and has been specially designed to support the Ranger Raptors increased track and wheel drive. The car also boasts Position Sensitive Damping shock absorbers which are manufactured by FOX for this model. 

Completing the package is the tyres which were specially developed by BF Goodrich, the size 285/70 R17 all-terrain tyres offer a tough sidewall to take on the most formidable environments with confidence, providing enough grip when you need it. The Ranger Raptor comes with Ford's standard SYNC3 with Navigation which has a unique "breadcrumb" feature to leave a trail in uncharted areas. All in all, the Ranger Raptor looks like the perfect package for a proper high performance off roading bakkie with the recommended retail price coming in at R786 400.