Debuting as a Ranger that features a sleek bodykit and a floor-hugging chassis, the MS-RT would cater to the final frontier of bakkie buying niches. It has now made landfall in the Southeast Asian market (ASEAN) but Ford hasn’t revealed whether Mzansi will be on the receiving end too.
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The top of the Ranger pecking order is occupied by the full-fat Raptor, but beneath it is a spectrum of different models aimed at different niches. Unlike a few decades ago when bakkies were presented and sold exclusively as utilitarian counterparts, there is now a plethora of prospective options for buyers to peruse. South Africa, with much of Ford’s Ranger production taking place just outside of Pretoria in Silverton, receives most iterations on offer globally but there are a few that have been elusive.
Related: Ford’s MS-RT Ranger Debuts as Lowered and Aggressive Bakkie
The MS-RT is one such bakkie and while it debuted earlier this year in Europe, there was no sign that it would come to South Africa but its arrival in the Southeast Asian market has reinvigorated some hope. In Asia, most countries drive on the right-hand side with the exception of India, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore owing to British colonial influence similar to Southern Africa. Ford has now regionally debuted the model in Thailand, meaning it is being prepared for foreign left-hand drive markets.
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When asked for a statement on whether the MS-RT would be considered for the local market, Ford South Africa reaffirmed that it is unable to provide comment on a future product line-up. As a reminder, the bakkie employs Ford’s diesel V6 under the bonnet while the exterior sees several cosmetic upgrades which make it more road racey. A new front bumper with a honeycomb grille, integrated front splitter, new LED headlights and side vents adorns the front end of the MS-RT Ranger. Flared wheel arches attributed to the 82 mm increase in overall width compared to standard Ranger models and shroud 21-inch diamond-cut satin black alloy wheels wrapped in noise-reducing Continental tyres.
Would this (less capable off-road bakkie) be a winner locally?
