MOTORSPORT
Ford unveils racy Ranger to defend off-road title
The race vehicles are designed and built by Pietermaritzburg-based Neil Woolridge Motorsport, which aims to defend its crown
Ford has unveiled a comprehensively redeveloped Ranger to compete in SA’s off-road racing national championship this year.
The race vehicles are designed and built by Pietermaritzburg-based Neil Woolridge Motorsport (NWM), which aims to defend the class and overall titles it won in last year’s SA Rally-Raid Championship (SARRC).
The revamped vehicle features bold new styling based on the latest-generation Ranger, SA’s best-selling double cab bakkie. The bodywork looks aggressive but is highly functional too, introducing a wide range of aerodynamic, cooling and packaging enhancements, says Woolridge.
Under-the-skin improvements on the suspension and drivetrain aim to maximise performance and reliability in the toughest off-road racing conditions.
Performance from the twin-turbocharged 3.5l V6 EcoBoost engine is largely unchanged, delivering peak power of 265kW and a top speed limited to 170km/h based on FIA regulations.
Shell has come on board as the team’s principal sponsor for 2024.
The NWM Ford Rally-Raid Team will again field two entries in the SARRC Production Vehicle championship, with reigning champions Gareth Woolridge and navigator Boyd Dreyer in the #200 Ranger, and teammates Lance Woolridge and Kenny Gilbert in the #234 Ranger.
The opening round of the six-event championship is the Nkomazi 400 in Malalane, Mpumalanga, on April 19 and 20.