Photo: Ford Motor Company
The Blue Oval has made sure its Ranger series is just as enticing both at home in the United States and across international markets. Most recently, we have seen the latter get treated to both a bare-bones Chassis Cab version as well as a stylish Ranger MS-RT variant. Still, we had no idea that from early 2021 the South African version will also cater to anyone looking for some additional protection.
The Blue Oval's local subsidiary recently announced an interesting partnership with the vehicle armoring experts from SVI Engineering, bringing customers the novelty of “Ford-approved armored protection for the Ranger – a first for any original equipment manufacturer (OEM) in South Africa.”
Granted, we had no idea that gangsters, dictators, blood diamond prospectors, and just about any other generally important folk would even consider a workhorse pickup truck as their next armored ride, but some of the details might help provide an answer to this.
More precisely, Ford and SVI mention they are offering two main levels of armored protection for the Ranger, across all models (Single Cab, Super Cab, and Double Cab) and powertrains. Those are B4 and B6, with the latter available in discreet and non-discreet (B6 V2.0) form.
Well, there you go, the Ranger can inconspicuously pass as any other pickup truck, with anyone seeing it likely to remain oblivious to the fact that it’s armored and probably hiding some influential figure inside.
Joking aside, the companies do promise the “armor protection has been specifically designed with the overall dynamics, quality, in-car technology and Built Ford Tough DNA in mind.” As far as the B4 version is concerned, it offers protection against handguns up to a .44 Magnum and adds “just” 280 kg (617 pounds) to a Ranger Double Cab.
The B6, on the other hand, brings an additional weight penalty of 650 kg (1,433 pounds), but the armor is also capable to withstand the impact of ammunition rounds fired from the R1 assault rifle (the South African version of the French FN-FAL) or the ubiquitous AK47.
Granted, we had no idea that gangsters, dictators, blood diamond prospectors, and just about any other generally important folk would even consider a workhorse pickup truck as their next armored ride, but some of the details might help provide an answer to this.
More precisely, Ford and SVI mention they are offering two main levels of armored protection for the Ranger, across all models (Single Cab, Super Cab, and Double Cab) and powertrains. Those are B4 and B6, with the latter available in discreet and non-discreet (B6 V2.0) form.
Well, there you go, the Ranger can inconspicuously pass as any other pickup truck, with anyone seeing it likely to remain oblivious to the fact that it’s armored and probably hiding some influential figure inside.
Joking aside, the companies do promise the “armor protection has been specifically designed with the overall dynamics, quality, in-car technology and Built Ford Tough DNA in mind.” As far as the B4 version is concerned, it offers protection against handguns up to a .44 Magnum and adds “just” 280 kg (617 pounds) to a Ranger Double Cab.
The B6, on the other hand, brings an additional weight penalty of 650 kg (1,433 pounds), but the armor is also capable to withstand the impact of ammunition rounds fired from the R1 assault rifle (the South African version of the French FN-FAL) or the ubiquitous AK47.
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