Say hello to your new Ranger
February 23, 2003
By Les Stephenson
Ford has gone back to its roots in SA with the creation of its latest Bantam half-ton bakkies – no clones, no badge engineering and certainly no bleddy furriners interfering.
The new Bantam is as South African as braaivleis and as pluckily individual as the first version, launched way back in 1983.
The Bantam is now running solo for the Blue Oval after nearly five years of development. Its long-time flirtation with Mazda, started when the "True Blue" bloodline was severely diluted in 1986 by sticking a Ford badge on what was essentially a bakkie-ised version of the Mazda 323, is over.
Nigel Harris, Ford SA's sales and marketing director, said at the launch at the Mongena game reserve, north of Pretoria, that in future Ford and Mazda would be competing in the market, with Ford putting the emphasis on power.
He promised a whole series of new-model events throughout 2003 – and sources say these include the Mazda6 and, probably in October at around R250 000, the Mazda RX-8.
Er, what's that about only Ford focusing on power…?
The new Bantam was first seen by the public at the Auto Africa show in Johannesburg in late October but only this week has Ford SA managed to find a hole in what is already a very full launch calendar for this year.
The bakkies, with 60% local content, a choice of two petrol and one diesel engine and in seven derivatives, have been on sale for several months and, Harris said: "I'm delighted to say they have exceeded all our expectations – and the success took us a little bit by surprise.
"We lifted production capacity by 40% during the (year-end) shutdown by increasing the line and we are really ramping things up."
Sales have been running at 650-700 a month but he was confident that, with the extra production capacity, 1 000 a month should be exceeded soon. More than 140 000 Bantam / Rustler half-tonners were sold from 1983 until production stopped late last year.
"It seems SA survives on bakkies – one-tonners and half-tonners," Harris added. "I've seen half-tonners used for so many different purposes, one of which horrifies me and that's carrying people on the back at 120km/h on freeways."
Local legislation is on the way to, as most other Western countries have already done, ban any passengers except those in the cabin. Which, of course, would be bad news for the Bantam because many sales are to younger folk who see a bakkie as a lifestyle vehicle.
"It's an image thing in SA," Harris said.
It’s also the reason why only SA and Brazil have any serious kind of half-tonner market and why the mother ship in Detroit told Ford SA to go it alone with the Bantam.
"We started to develop this Bantam back in 1998," Harris said, "and we were told in no uncertain terms that it was our truck because there was no demand for it anywhere else in the world.
"However, we argue that there are a number of markets that would really benefit from having a half-tonner and our export team is promoting it in Asian countries."
Development of the Bantam took, Harris said, 180 000 "personhours" with up to 160 people working on the project. "We now have the best-selling half-tonner on the market," he grinned.
Not such a challenge, really, considering its only competition is from Opel's Corsa bakkie, the now antiquated Nissan 1400 and VW's Caddi based on first-generation Golf running gear.
Design brief
The Bantam still crows that it can take a standard half-ton pallet and, better, its actual load rating is 630kg. That, as a bigger competitor might have said, is a half ton and a half."
After driving all versions of the new Bantam this week, it's obvious that Ford took its design brief far beyond that of a small workhorse. Depending on model, the range has air-conditioning, two crash bags, radio/CD audio system, leather upholstery, power windows, a sliding rear window, power mirrors, rear step and wheel arch mouldings.
All models have side steps (just behind each door), tinted glass, tie-hooks inside the load box walls, a radio antenna, mud flaps, adjustable head restraints, stowage net between the sun visors, door pockets, storage and cup/bottle holders behind the seats, inertia-reel seatbelts, rev counter, floor console, digital clock, cut-pipe carpets and a high-level brake light.
There are three specification levels: XL, XLT and XLE with the 1.6i XLE having power windows and central locking. All models have shielded door locks, steering-column lock, locking fuel cap and a two-key immobiliser system and, Ford says, the motors cannot be hot-wired.
Smoth and quiet
The cabin takes six-footers easily and the overall image of the trucks is modern, clean and fun. Which is what Ford used to be about…
The two RoCam petrol motors use Bosch fuel injection. The 1.3, Ford says, delivers 55kW at 5500rpm and 110Nm of torque from 2500rpm while the 1.6 is capable of 70kW and 137Nm at the same engine speeds.
The diesel engine is a 1.8-litre unit, smooth and quiet at speed, and is capable of 44.2kW at 4556rpm and 105.6Nm at 2500rpm. It's a little "old-technology" through not using direct fuel injection and takes a fair time to get up steam in freeway conditions but, once there, will stay there all day.
Ford is involved closely with the SOS Children's Village in Mamelodi, part of the Pretoria metropole, so used the launch to deliver sand and cement to the facility in preparation for the construction of a giant sandpit for the kids.
Several of the Bantams were loaded with 500kg of material, in sacks, but the extra weight made little difference to the cruising performance of the bakkies. Pretty impressive for relatively small-engined trucks.
All models use the same five-speed manual gearbox as that fitted to the current Fiesta hatchback and Ikon sedan – in fact the whole bakkie is based on the previous Fiesta model. Changes are easy, swift and precise.
One of the launch demo vehicles was fitted with a custom-built, superior grade, colour-matched canopy, turning the bakkie into a station-wagon lookalike. It's just one of a whole range of totally compatible accessories being marketed with the Bantam.
All-South African
Some items are standard on XLT and XLE models, but you can start with the basic XL model and add, as you go: a load box mat, rear step bumper, sill scuff plates, leather-clad steering wheel and gearshifter, four mudflaps, alloy rims, a canopy, removable carpets, clear plastic lights and bonnet guards, your own sound system and air-conditioning.
Or, of course, start with a more expensive model. Whichever one you buy, it'll be all-South African. As Neale Hill, Ford brand marketing manager said:
"The new Ford Bantam looks like a thoroughbred and has been ably rebuilt on solid foundations and is here to stay for at least 10 years. They are built in South Africa, for South Africans and by South Africans."
The petrol engines have a 15 000km service requirement, the diesel motor 10 000km but all models come with the standard Ford thee-year/100 000km warranty. The company is investigating the possibility of price-inclusive service/wearing parts contracts.
click here to check out its specs
Not a bad little truck, I'd imagine it will be available with an AWD option here stateside so they can sell them, that and the fiesta was available awd when ti was stateside.
It will sell, it would compete in the crossover area, and also be capable enough to compete with the small truck market. In reality what do people buy small trucks for, and what do they buy an actual half ton truck for? With a 1300lbs payload capacity this truck is already on par with the ranger for carrying capacity.
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That looks like a Focus in the front. I don't think I could drive it... ever!
