Next year, the Ford factory team will take to the start of the Dakar Rally for the first time, which will be represented in the top category of Ultimate racing SUVs. For the most famous off-road adventure on the planet, the American automaker has prepared a prototype based on the previous generation Ford Ranger model, but what the production pickup truck and its racing version have in common is only the brand and name, but otherwise it is a real rally-raid prototype.
The partners of the factory sports division of Ford Performance are the British engineering company M-Sport and the South African team Neil Woolridge Motorsport (NWM), which has experience in participating in rally raids, which the American brand does not have. Neil Woolridge Motorsport carried out the construction of the car, and M-Sport took upon itself the fine-tuning of the power unit, as well as all the logistics for participating in the race.
The prototype is built around a new frame and has received a seriously redesigned body, which, in addition to being lighter, features more compact dimensions, an off-road suspension, and a more powerful engine based on a 3.5-liter V6 EcoBoost petrol turbo engine. The car is equipped with a racing gearbox and off-road tires, and the interior is equipped with safety features necessary for racing.
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The racing M-Sport Ranger is actually similar to the road Ford Ranger only in nameplates and individual exterior elements. In 2024, two American pickup trucks will take to the start of the Dakar. One will be driven by a Spanish crew consisting of pilot Joan Roma and co-driver Alex Haro, and the second will be led into the race by a South American tandem consisting of Gareth Woolridge and his co-driver Boyd Dreyer.
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