Every time Ford releases a new Ranger model, we think they have peaked. Meet the Ford Ranger Thunder Limited Edition.
I got to spend some time behind the wheel of one, and this is what I thought you should know.
The Thunder is basically a Wildtrak, with added bells and whistles, and Ford knows very well that their market of bakkie lovers are always looking for something to spice things up within this segment. So instead of reinventing the wheel (loads of pun intended), they decided to take the solid base of the Wildtrak and add some rad extra add-ons both inside and outside of it to deliver a badass new model, the Thunder Limited Edition.
Mechanically the Thunder is identical to the Wildtrak. The engine is a 2,0-litre, four-cylinder, turbodiesel unit. Packing 157kW at 3750rpm. With 500 Nm of torque between 1 500 – 2 000rpm. Like most bakkies, the Thunder isn’t super-fast off the starting block, but it does hit the 0-100km mark in 10sec, which is rather respectable. The 10-speed auto gearbox is impressive, though. There is very little lag in overtaking, which is sometimes a bit of a sore point when I come to anything that weighs this much. From a fuel economy point of view, you’re looking at about 7,8l per 100km’s. I managed to hit the 7,9l mark rather effortlessly.
What makes this offering from Ford South Africa this special? Here’s 5 reasons why the Thunder will excite you and motivate you to drop a couple of bucks more for it:
- There are four rad colours to choose from. Absolute Black, Frozen White, Moondust Silver and Sea Grey. All have accents of red trimming on the exterior, lending a more sportier feel
- It’s all about the trimmings. Ford opted for slick 18-inch alloy wheels in all black. The same black finishing touches come through in the grille, the rear bumper, on the skid plates and on the door handles
- Another feature that heightens the excitement is the roller shutter with a load-bay divider. No more tarp/canvas covers that get your hands dirty every time you need to load something in the back
- It’s one thing to look good on the outside, but as the proud owner of a Ranger Thunder you will be spending most of your time inside the cabin, so that’s where most of the extras need to wow you. A lot of leather has been bought forward. Creating more of an opulent feel. This has been rounded off with the same red finishing’s you see on the exterior. Red stitching can be found on the steering wheel, seats, instrument panel, and the “Thunder” insignia embroidered on the seats. The car door sill plates are illuminated in red as well to carry through the cohesive design
- Here’s the kicker. Ford decided to bring out this Thunder model to give its fans more and motivate you to rather get either genuine Ford extras/add-ons or get a bakkie with those extras as a standard. The little extra in price is nothing compared to the potential damage and fake look you’ll achieve by supporting a backyard detailer
The Ford Ranger Thunder starts from R733 500. All models come standard with Ford Protect. A 4-year/120 000km warranty, 3-year/unlimited distance roadside assistance and 5-year/unlimited km corrosion warranty. The service plan is a 6-year/90 000km plan.