Ford's South African division together with help from Neil Woolridge Motorsport has built a ripper of a Ranger.
Shown here is a racing truck developed to take part in the 2020 South African Cross Country Series under the guidance of the Ford Castrol Cross Country Team. It will compete in the Production Vehicle category, though there's nothing stock about this truck.
It features numerous modifications to handle the rough conditions contenders of the African race series endure, as well as the 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged V-6 that powers the bigger, heavier F-150 Raptor. This will be the first time that a turbocharged engine has been eligible for the category as the rules were updated by the FIA for the 2020 season.
The truck is still being tested so Ford Castrol Cross Country Team will initially enter the series with a Ranger racing truck powered by the Mustang GT's 5.0-liter V-8. When ready, the new truck will compete against vehicles that tackle some of the toughest off-road race series including the Dakar Rally.
The V-6 has been positioned further back in the engine bay compared to the stock Ranger's engine mounting for better weight distribution. The air filter and intercooler are also moved closer to the engine to improve efficiency.
Other modifications include a widened chassis with independent suspension front and rear and BOS dampers. The engineers also added lighter differentials at both ends and powerful six-piston Brembo brake calipers at each wheel. The rear pair are even water-cooled. Revised bodywork with a more aerodynamic shape hides all the mechanicals and gives the truck a more aggressive look, as do the chunky BF Goodrich All-Terrain T/A KDR2 tires.
The first round of the 2020 South African Cross Country Series is the Mpumalanga 400 in Dullstroom this weekend.
