Africa-Press – Namibia. Trailblazing, Ford performance-developed versions of market-leading Ford commercial vehicles are set to take the world of motoring by storm.
As part of the future-focussed and connected line-up of products on show at world-famous motoring expos, the all-new Ford Pro Electric SuperVan – the company’s first all-electric SuperVan – will be revealed for the first time this month and the Next-Gen Ranger Raptor will make its European dynamic debut.
The bespoke Ford Pro Electric SuperVan is inspired by the recently unveiled E-Transit Custom 1 – the all-electric successor to Europe’s best-selling van and one of four new all-electric commercial vehicles Ford Pro is introducing in Europe by 2024, following the launch of the ETransit.
The new SuperVan, which will be on display at upcoming motoring expos has been developed to showcase the extremes of performance and productivity-accelerating connectivity made possible by a new generation of electric Ford Pro products. Ford will soon reveal further details surrounding the new all-electric demonstrator – the latest in a legendary series of crowd-thrilling, high-performance SuperVans stretching back more than 50 years.
“Since 1971, Ford SuperVans have been about exploring what is possible with Transit and pushing the boundaries of performance,” said Mark Rushbrook, global director, Ford Performance Motorsports. “The new Ford Pro Electric SuperVan ushers in a whole new era of possibilities with an electrified powertrain and the enhanced connectivity of our new, all-electric ETransit Custom.”
Further showcasing the diversity of Ford Performance innovation, the Next-Gen Ranger Raptor makes its European dynamic debut. Taking on the challenging off-road track between hillclimb runs at expos, the ultimate performance pick-up is powered by a twin-turbo 3.0-litre EcoBoost V6 engine, delivering 288PS and 491Nm of torque.
Revealed for the first time in a dramatic stunt video earlier this year, the second-generation Ranger Raptor delivers enhanced on- and off-road capability with features including FOXÒ Live Valve shock absorbers with position-sensitive damping, as well as seven selectable drive modes for handling terrain from road to rock crawl. Advanced connectivity is enabled by Ford’s new-generation SYNC 4A system, supported by a 12-inch centre touchscreen.
In addition to tackling the off-road tracks and hillclimbs, the Ranger Raptor will also help Ford continue to tackle discrimination, supporting a live session of the company’s new “Tough Talks” series. The conversation – to discuss how the automotive industry can foster a culture of inclusion and allyship will also take place.
The new Raptor was introduced in 2021 after Ford instinctively used its voice and its toughest nameplate to stand against online discrimination.
The rendering of a Ford Ranger Raptor in sparkling gold adorned with rainbow graphics and pink heart on the rear received positive social media responses.
Ford is also demonstrating at motoring expos how advanced robotics and autonomous technologies can help integrate with Ford Pro products and services to make warehousing and delivery more efficient and affordable for commercial vehicle customers. The company is showing the Digit robot – developed by
Agility Robotics – at the event’s Future Lab.
In 2020 Ford became the first customer to purchase a Digit robot, which has arms and legs to work alongside people in human spaces, to explore applications including indoor or first-mile logistics and last-15-metre delivery. Ford is also researching how Digit robots can communicate with connected Ford Pro vehicles for optimised efficiency.
The manufacturer is invested in the future of autonomous delivery, and announced a European Self-Driving Vehicle Research Programme in 2021. As part of the programme, Ford partnered with leading consumer delivery specialists Evri and adapted a Transit to allow a hidden driver to operate the van to evaluate how pedestrians and businesses interact with driverless vehicles.
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