By Otsile Kadiege

As promised, Ford South Africa is gearing up for the local launch of the luxurious and sophisticated Ranger Platinum model derivative. The new model grade ushers in premium appointments, comfort, tech and styling from the range-topping Everest Platinum, which we’ve already seen and experienced.

Ranger Platinum exterior styling

On the exterior styling front, the newly added derivative sets itself apart from the rest of the Ranger crop with a set of model-specific 20-inch alloy machine-faced wheels with ebony accents, fitted with all-season tyres, fully adaptive signature C-clamp headlights with Matrix LED technology, chrome accents all-round, ‘Platinum’ badging on the bonnet, front doors and tailgate, and colour coded mirror caps and door handles.

Other noteworthy features include a loadbox which incorporates the fixed sports hoop and side rails as standard, while the tailgate features additional damping for enhanced ease of use. On a practical level, the Cargo Management System is fitted as standard, making it easy to safely secure all types of loads, while the useful roof rails are carried over from the Wildtrak models. Buyers can have the nifty powered roller shutter fitted as an added-cost option.

Customers can select from five colour options for the Ranger Platinum: Iconic Silver, Frozen White, Carbonized Grey, Lucid Red and Agate Black.

Ranger Platinum interior styling and tech

Stepping inside, the Platinum grade gets posh leather seats with ‘Platinum’ badging on the back rest. The front seats offer heating and ventilated cooling functions, along with 10-way power adjustment with memory function.

Other highlights include contrast stitching throughout the cabin, more ‘Platinum’ badges on the floor mats and dashboard, Black Maple decorative finishes for the dashboard and door appliques, satin aluminium trim strips, a 12.4-inch full-width LCD instrument cluster, a 12-inch centre touchscreen which incorporates the latest-generation SYNC 4A infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and wireless charging, SYNC Off-road screen, 360-degree camera system, and the premium Bang & Olufsen sound system with 10 speakers.

Ranger Platinum safety and driver assistance systems

The Ranger Platinum also features the full range of advanced driver aids such as Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop & Go and Lane Centering, Active Park Assist with autonomous parallel and perpendicular parking, Tyre Pressure Monitoring System, and seven Selectable Drive Modes (Normal, Eco, Tow/Haul, Slippery, Mud/Ruts, Sand and Rock Crawl) to name but a few of the stand-out features.

Occupant safety is out of the top drawer too, and the Platinum is the first Ranger model to be equipped with far side airbags positioned between the front seats. This prevents the occupants colliding with each other in an impact, thereby reducing the risk and severity of resulting injuries. Dual front, side- and curtain airbags, along with the driver’s knee airbag, provide further collision protection.

Ranger Platinum V6 turbodiesel

Powering the top-spec Ranger is a 3.0-litre V6 turbodiesel engine as found on the top-spec Wildtrak model, delivering 184kW of power at 3 250 r/min and a massive 600Nm of torque from 1 750 to 2 250 r/min. It’s paired with Ford’s 10-speed auto transmission that is controlled using the brand’s e-Shifter, and is packaged with the switch-operated electronic parking brake.

As with all V6 models in the range a full-time four-wheel drive system is standard, providing sure-footed traction and control, regardless of the driving conditions. It operates in 4 Auto (4A) by default for both on and off-road driving, while 4×4 high-range (4H) and low-range (4L) can be selected for gravel and more challenging terrain, respectively. Rear-wheel drive only is available by switching to 2H.

Ranger Platinum pricing

The Ranger Platinum will be available in local showrooms at the end of Q1 2024. The indicative pricing for the said model derivative is R1,119,000.