Ford’s Silverton vehicle manufacturing plant east of Pretoria has produced its millionth Ranger bakkie since production began at the site 24 years ago.

The US car maker started production of the Ranger in 2000 and the millionth Ranger milestone coincides with Ford’s celebration of its centenary year in South Africa.

“It’s fitting that we celebrate reaching and now rapidly surpassing the one millionth locally produced Ranger during Ford’s Centenary year in South Africa,” said Neale Hill, president of Ford Motor Company Africa in a statement.

Ford has produced three generations of Ranger models at the Silverton facility.

The third-generation Ranger won the South African Car of the Year 2023 award, as well as two international accolades. At the company’s centenary celebration event last year, Ford announced that it would invest into plug-in hybrid models of the Ranger.

“We have continued to invest extensively in our local operations at the Silverton manufacturing plant and the Struandale (Gqeberha) plant to expand Ranger production for the South African market, and to support crucial exports to more than 100 global markets.” — © 2024 NewsCentral Media