Close to 8 000 km signalled on the odometer of these brand-new Ford Ranger Raptors, it was time for them to embark on a great trek back to Johannesburg after their escapades on the other side of the continent.
With the launch of the Ranger Raptor coming to a close in the infinite sands and skies of the Namib desert. A few journalists now prepared for an even greater 3-day lark back to South Africa’s most populous city. While the goal was to return the 14 performance bakkies back into the tutelage of Ford South Africa, it was also an opportunity to sample the road-going rally cars on the road frequently travelled, both dirt and tar.
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After the excursion around the Namib desert in the ever-capable Ranger Raptors, it became immediately apparent how capable and competent it was in environments where it needed to forge its own path. Now was the time to determine if it would yield the same success on surfaces which closer signified roads as we know them. With apprehension, very seldom do manufacturers achieve a vehicle that can tick both boxes.
In the case of the Ford Ranger Raptor, it manages both superlatively well. Departing from Walvis Bay, less than a dozen km were completed on tarred surfaces before the road beneath started generating massive plumes of dust behind. The first day would comprise well over 500 km of driving through the arad Namibian interior en route to an overnight stay just outside of Mariental.
Most of this stint was completed on undulating straight dirt roads save for a short section traversing the Kuiseb Pass. The surface beneath was loose so the traction control was naturally disengaged with 2H paired with the lunacy of Baja mode being the preferred drivetrain setting. Despite weighing just shy of 2,5 tonnes, the weight transfer and body roll of the bakkie remained predictable and easy to manage courtesy of the live FOX suspension. The steering was direct, particularly in the racey setting and pinning the throttle provided immediate feedback – turbos spooled up nogal. No rollovers here when going perpendicular to the path ahead and that is a good thing since there were sheer falls on the flip side of the road railing.
With the limited excitement at its end, it was time to continue on a relatively straight and monotonous landscape. The further in we ventured inland, the more shrubbery and flora replaced the neverending granules of sand. The views remained breathtaking with each horizon that was reached. 
Crossing the Tropic of Capricorn in the midday heat with the mercury reaching into the mid-40s, the climate control ensured the cabin remain an isolated oasis to the harsh exterior environment. Water bottles were replenished and a short photo shoot with the sticker-bombed sign ensued before we were off again. Time was of the essence. Completely baron landscape and with no other cars in sight, the 3,0-litre V6 could put all 292 kW and 583 N.m to work. 
With such desolation and uninhabited land, the only gripe was the ever-depleting 80-litre fuel tank that would suck the pumps dry in each small town we passed through. The extremely spirited driving on the well-graded dirt roads meant we achieved in the region of 15,0L/100 km.
With no cell signal demonstrating the Google Map on the screen mirrored Apple Car Play, the 12,0-inch vertical touchscreen in the centre console had its time to shine. On the topic of refuelling, the GPS-powered map has the ability to calculate the maximum perimeter the vehicle can travel while being within reach of a petrol station. Jerry cans were loaded in the rubberised and well-equipped load bin, the oddly shaped map symbols were ignored.
At the Rietfontein Border Crossing between Namibia and South Africa, the majority of the dirt road travelling had come to an end. This was a mammoth day, with over 800 km travelled before the overnight stay in the Northern Cape was reached. A lodge off of the beaten path, the poorly graded South African dirt roads were chalk and cheese compared to our neighbours. Speeds were hindered with corrugations in the surfaces and heavily rutted sections and while things got bumpy, it would have been agonizing to imagine spending that stint in anything other than the Blue Ovals’ latest bakkie flagship. 
The final day didn’t yield much to write home about. Fully tarred from Vryburg to Johannesburg meant that the cruise control and adaptive safety features kept driver involvement to a minimum. Once in the heart of the North West, hatchback-consuming potholes became the norm. Wide in diameter and Mariana-trench in depth, a few were unavoidable at speed. They were still, no match for the massive 33-inch tyres paired with the FOX Live Valve dampers that brushed them off akin to a mild road imperfection in a supercar.
Related: Million rand bakkies: Ford Ranger Raptor VS VW Amarok Aventura
At just over a million (minus a service plan), it becomes apparent that this is the best value-for-money performance bakkie on the market. It helps that it has no competition but when compared to similar bakkies boasting less power and a giggle factor, there really is no compromise. In due time it remains to be seen if chief bakkie rivals will begin to offer an apples-for-apples competitor.
