The Ford Ranger (T6) Thread

2027 Ford Ranger MS-RT Champion Edition revealed as limited-run performance bakkie

Ford has whipped the wraps of the Ranger MS-RT Champion Edition, a new limited-run version of the Blue Oval brand’s street-focused performance bakkie.

Ford has whipped the wraps off the latest Ranger MS-RT (M-Sport Road Technology), with the Blue Oval brand unveiling the Champion Edition at the 2026 Paris Motor Show. Celebrating on- and off-road racing, the limited-run model builds on the original MS-RT formula of its forebears, featuring a selection of street-focused upgrades, while gaining several model-specific design elements. Exclusive to the European market, only 500 examples will be made.

Finished in Agate Black paint – replete with decals featuring gold-coloured stripes on the bonnet, doors, and tailgate – the Champion Edition is also distinguished from the standard variants via the fitment of gold-coloured 21-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels. Similar to its stablemates, the Champion Edition features honeycomb inserts in the front grille, extended front and rear wheel arches, revised side skirts, a new rear diffuser, and a ‘ducktail’-style rear spoiler. The updated sports suspension, replete with firmer front dampers and a “specially tuned” rear configuration, has been lowered by 40 mm.


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I don't know the price, but that screen replacement is going to be eye watering!

Mine developed a rattle behind the screen glass when it was cold. It meant every winter morning, the screen made the sound of sagex box packing material being rubbed together. If I pushed on the glass, the noise went away.

The dealer had a tough time getting the warranty claim for a new screen authorised. Ford SA made us all jump through hoops to prove the issue. Eventually I had to make a video one morning and in that video with no cuts, I had to drive the vehicle and record the noise, record my pushing finger stopping the noise and then I had to swing the phone around to show the door sill sticker proving it was my vehicle by capturing the printed VIN on the video.

I eventually got my new screen and all has been fine. But they fought hard to make me go away rather than replacing.
 
Why Ford hasn’t (yet) launched the Ranger PHEV in SA

The head of Ford in South Africa has explained why the locally built Ranger PHEV is still not sold in Mzansi, before revealing the brand is looking at a potential introduction “very carefully”…

- SA-built Ranger PHEV still not sold here
- Ford’s local boss calls for NEV incentives
- Brand “continues to evaluate” derivative

The Ford Ranger PHEV was revealed over 3 years ago and is (for the time being, anyway) exclusively produced at the Blue Oval brand’s factory in Silverton, right here in South Africa. Why then is this plug-in hybrid bakkie – which has since been surpassed in the power stakes by a handful of Chinese PHEV contenders – still not available to new-vehicle buyers in Mzansi?

Well, Neale Hill, President of Ford Motor Company Africa, laid out the reasons during a wide-ranging interview in Cars.co.za’s custom-built podcast booth at Naamsa’s SA Auto Week 2026 event in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal earlier in October.

“It comes back to the fact that we don’t have any incentives or any drive within South Africa that’s pushing for the adoption of new-energy vehicles. So, if you look at markets where there’s been dramatic growth in new-energy vehicles, there’s not only a production element – in terms of encouraging production – but there’s also a demand-side stimulation,” he said.

This suggests that without local-market incentives, Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa believes the Ranger PHEV would potentially be priced higher than is feasible – despite being built locally. Interestingly, this model (which Ford’s SA factory currently exports to Europe and Australia) is due to enter production at the brand’s Pacheco plant in Argentina in 2027.

 
Ford Ranger 2.3 petrol vs 3.0 V6 diesel: The real-world costs and performance maths

How should buyers calculate the running costs between the Ranger 2.3 turbopetrol and the 3.0 V6 turbodiesel? We break down the fuel, price and performance metrics shoppers of these double-cab bakkies need to consider.

Since launching the current Ranger, Ford has regularly led double-cab sales in South Africa – the natural result of pouring significant resources into a single core segment. Globally, body-on-frame bakkies drive profitability for Ford. South Africa directly benefits from that global engineering scale, operating in a market where body-on-frame bakkies remain the top-selling vehicle category.

Much of Ford’s double-cab success was initially built on an engine option that no longer sits in the lineup: the 2.0-litre bi-turbodiesel (BiT). Discontinuing the 2.0 BiT changed the performance-to-economy equation for prospective Ranger buyers.

The revised engine line-up created a noticeable gap in price, power and specification across the range. Because the 2.0 BiT delivered strong output for its displacement—frequently outperforming traditional large-capacity turbodiesels – it catered to a broad spectrum of South African buyers.

Now, with shifting fuel pricing and revised engine options, how should current and prospective Ford Ranger drivers rethink real-world performance versus total cost of ownership?

 

New Toyota Hilux v Ford Ranger v BYD Shark 6: OFF-ROAD BATTLE - carwow​

Can the new BYD Shark 6 beat class-leading Toyota & Ford pick-up trucks around an off-road course?!

The Toyota Hilux & Ford Ranger are two of the most renowned pick-up trucks in the world. The question is: if you’re in the market for a pick-up, should you look past these established off-road heroes and choose the all-new BYD Shark instead?!

To find out, we’ve brought all three together for a head-to-head series of off-road challenges. So let’s take a closer look at each competitor.

Starting with the Toyota Hilux, it’s powered by a 2.8-litre 4-cylinder diesel which produces 204hp and 500Nm. It has a locking rear differential, low- and high-range modes, as well as multi-terrain driving options. It weighs in at least 2,175kg.

The Ford Ranger is a plug-in hybrid, so it comes with a 2.3-litre 4-cylinder turbo coupled with an electric motor, which combine for 281hp and 697Nm. It has an electric rear diff, a terrain management system featuring 7 modes, as well as low range mode. It weighs in at 2,429 kg.

Then finally we come to the new contender, the BYD. It’s equipped with a 1.5-litre turbo petrol, as well as two electric motors, which combine for 436hp and 650Nm. It has four driving modes, and it’s the only pick-up here with independent rear suspension - so there’s no low-range mode available. It’s also by far the heaviest here, at 2,710kg!

So the BYD may be lacking in off-road capabilities on paper, but will it prove it's worth on the course?

 
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