New Ford bakkie goes on sale in South Africa – But there’s a catch

A new Ford bakkie has just touched down in South Africa, but it’s not being sold by Ford.

Earlier this year, the Durban-based company Rospa International announced that it had partnered with Autogroup International to import a variety of popular cars from the United States.

Importantly, these vehicles have been converted to right-hand-drive and can be registered locally to be legally driven on South African roads.

The latest vehicle to come out of this arrangement is the Ford F-150 Lighting – the electric version of one of the world’s most famous pickup trucks.

The F-150, for those who don’t know, is the full-size counterpart to the midsize Ranger bakkie we all know and love.

It is exceptionally popular in North America, but its sheer size and power mean it is not sold in many other markets where the (comparatively) smaller Ranger is far more practical.

The F-150 Lighting was first launched in the US in 2021 and is the world’s top-selling electric bakkie.

The Tesla Cybertruck briefly stole its crown when it first launched, but now that the hype has died down, the Lighting has once again claimed the top spot.

The Blue Oval’s creation certainly has the stats to keep up with any high-end double cab, featuring a pair of electric motors (one over each axle) that generate a combined 433kW and 1,050Nm.

This staggering total means the Lightning can sprint to 100km/h in 4.8 seconds – making it faster than both the F-150 Raptor and Ranger Raptor.

To put this in perspective for local buyers, the most powerful high-rider on sale in South Africa right now is the BYD Shark – a plug-in hybrid that produces 321kW and 650Nm.

As another point of reference, the Ford Ranger Raptor produces 292kW and 583Nm thanks to its 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 petrol engine.

Rospa has only imported the extended-range version of the Lightning, which uses a 131kWh battery pack with 515km on tap.

The importer is offering the F-150 in two trim levels in South Africa – the Lariat and the Platinum – both of which are generously kitted out.

The catch is the price tag, as the Lariat asks for R4.04 million, while the Platinum will set you back R4.22 million.

It’s the unfortunate reality of the costs involved with importing a vehicle through a third-party company, as the Lightning is much more affordable in the US (relatively speaking).

In the land of bald eagles and fast food, the F-150 is priced at $79,090, which converts to R1.39 million at the current exchange rate.

Importing it to South Africa adds another R1 million to the price tag, and this is before you factor in customs duties, ad valorem, VAT, and the cost of the right-hand-drive conversion, all of which pushes the final sticker past R4 million.

What you get for R4 million

Beyond its substantial powertrain, the F-150 Lighting has an extensive spec sheet with high-quality material finishes and convenience features.

The Platinum, for example, has Nirvana leather seats and wood-finished panels, as well as a Bang & Olufsen stereo with no less than 18 speakers.

It also has heated and ventilated front seats with a massage function, ambient lighting, dual-zone climate control, a 12-inch digital driver display, and a 15.5-inch portrait Sync infotainment screen.

As far as its bakkie credentials are concerned, the load bed can carry a maximum of 1,000kg, while the towing capacity caps out at an impressive 4.5 tonnes.

One important detail to note is that, while the F-150 is a Ford product, it has not been homologated by Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa.

This means local Ford dealerships are not equipped to offer first-party aftersales support for the bakkie.

“It’s important to note that the Ford F-Series Super Duty vehicles have not been homologated for South Africa by Ford South Africa,” the company previously told TopAuto.

“As such, Ford South Africa is not in a position to provide aftersales support for these vehicles.”

That’s not to say the Lightning has no local support, as Rospa International functions as the official distributor and service partner for Autogroup in South Africa.

All of the imported models sold by Rospa are backed by a 3-year/100,000km warranty, and the company has technicians in South Africa’s three major cities – Cape Town, Durban, and Johannesburg.

Ford F-150 Lightning