Ford recently made a big splash when it announced that South Africa would be receiving no less than eight new vehicles in 2024, covering all sorts of bases within the automotive world.
Among the new vehicles making their way to our shores are the Territory mid-size SUV, the new Mustang, and the all-electric Mustang Mach-E, but two of the most exciting prospects for local consumers are two new models in the highly successful Ranger series – these being the Platinum and Tremor specifications.
Both of these vehicles are currently scheduled to be released in the first half of 2024 and are intended to fill in niche gaps in the Ranger’s already extensive local catalogue.
What you need to know
To better understand the Platinum and Tremor, you first need to have an idea of the existing Ranger line-up in South Africa, which runs in order from the entry-level XL to the XLT, Wildtrak, Wildtrak X, and Raptor.
Putting aside the unique halo-model Raptor, the Wildtrak has been the flagship of the range since its debut, though this is not the case with the Everest SUV, which uses the same platform.
When it launched in September 2022, the Everest was made available in both Sport and Platinum trim levels, with an XLT and Wildtrak spec only being added in May of the following year, where the Wildtrak still sits below the range-topping Platinum.
The Platinum is, in fact, the true flagship of the Blue Oval’s latest 4×4 platform, and so the Ranger Platinum will take the pole position of its line-up when it arrives next year
It is equipped with the brand’s 3.0-litre V6 turbo-diesel engine with 184kW and 600Nm, and is described by Ford to be the most luxurious offering in the Ranger family.
VW Amarok Aventura (left) vs PanAmericana (right) makes for a good Ford Ranger Platinum vs Wildtrak comparison.
A good comparison for the Platinum vs Wildtrak debate would be to look at the second-generation VW Amarok, which also uses the same platform as the Ranger and Everest, and has two top-end variants with the PanAmericana and the Aventura.
VW has described the PanAmericana as the more rugged of the two, while the Aventura is intended to be the more urban-oriented choice, and a similar argument could be made for choosing the Wildtrak or Platinum, respectively.
To hammer this point home, a few of the features found on the luxury-themed Platinum include 20-inch alloys, a 12.0-inch digital instrument cluster, a 10-speaker Bang & Olufsen stereo, quilted leather seats with ventilation, a heated steering wheel, and Matrix LED headlights – the last of which was previously exclusive to the Raptor.
The South African pricing of the Ford Ranger Platinum has yet to be announced, however, a look at Ford Australia’s site shows that it slots above the Wildtrak V6 but below the Raptor, putting its retail sticker somewhere between R1,026,400 and R1,184,100 when it arrives here next year.
As for the Tremor, it presents an intriguing option for local consumers following the recent launch of the Wildtrak X spin-off in South Africa; the reason being that the Tremor is essentially the same vehicle as the X, but is based on the mid-range XLT rather than the Wildtrak.
The Tremor treatment adds a number of cosmetic details and useful overlanding features such as a new suspension kit with Bilstein position-sensitive shocks, General Grabber AT3 all-terrain tyres, larger wheel arches, a steel bash plate, and durable vinyl seat covers.
It also adds a Trail Turn Assist function that can reduce the turning radius by 25% at slow speeds, and Trail Control Assist which acts as a form of off-road cruise control for speeds under 32km/h.
Crucially, the Tremor will only offered with a 2.0-litre bi-turbo diesel engine and not the V6 turbo-diesel, generating an output of 154kW and 500Nm.
While the local pricing for the Tremor has not yet been revealed, it should slot between the top-spec XLT 4×4 and the more expensive Wildtrak X, putting its tag in the range between R833,800 and R1,013,000.
Ford Ranger Platinum
Ford Ranger Tremor
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