South African braai-master picks the Ford Ranger as his bakkie of choice

Ford is celebrating its 96-year trading history in South Africa, with a new deal with the man who is synonymous with the braai.

Jan Braai’s new logistics fleet will consist of Ford’s proven gravel travel and off-road utility vehicles, the Ranger bakkie and Everest SUV.

The man who braais more broadly than any other, Jan’s Braai vir Erfenis television show traverses the most remote corners of South Africa. To discover and take viewers to some of the country’s most inspiring places, Jan requires vehicle support that is adequately configured for the most challenging terrain.

The braai-master has always loved Ford

Ford South Africa’s general manager of marketing, Doreen Mashinini, sees the braai-master as an ideal bakkie and SUV ambassador.

“Our range of utility vehicles and bakkies embodies the outdoor spirit and will help Jan fly the South African flag wherever he goes. Jan’s other annual events, such as cycle tours, will also highlight Ford’s versatility when moving around bikes and reaching tough-to-access locations. We look forward to creating other opportunities with Jan.”

Quite fittingly, Jan’s first car as a young article clerk, was a Ford Fiesta. The Ranger and Everest vehicles that his team now use, are a world away from that Fiesta, and deliver the best of Ford’s T6 off-road platform.

Built for a South African adventure

Both Ranger and Everest are built on the same ladder-frame chassis design, which allows for great loadability and enough frame flex when navigating really difficult off-road terrain.

Braai-master Jan is often required to not only carry all his braai gear and ingredients to isolated venues, but also the camera and sound gear required to record his television show. In this regard, the Ranger and Everest, with the spacious cabins, are excellently configured to the task.

Driving huge mileages can be tiring, but Ford’s engineers have managed to reduce road and engine noise intrusion, with their latest Ranger bakkie and Everest SUV variants. The powerful 2-litre turbodiesel engines are paired with ten-speed automatic transmission, giving the Ranger and Everest more forward gear ratios than any rival.

Why would Jan need ten gears? For much the same reason as a heavy-duty transport freight truck has many gears: it helps to reduce fuel-consumption when climbing mountain passes under load. Sophisticated software analyses vehicle speed, weight and road gradient, consistently and seamlessly shifting gear to ensure the Ranger and Everest are always running in their most efficient trim.

Ford’s stability software also makes the Ranger an outstandingly safe towing platform. It features trail sway control, with sensors which assist through brake force interventions to ensure that a sudden gust of wind or road bump, does not unbalance your towing experience.