Team Ford Racing has announced it will enter two Ford Ranger pickups in the 2014 Dakar rally-raid that will take place January 5-18 in South America. Built in South Africa by Neil Woolridge Motorsport, the two Ranger racing pickups will be driven by Argentine Lucio Alvarez and South African Chris Visser.
Based on the 4×4 Double Cab version of the Ford Ranger, the Dakar-prepped pickups have full composite bodies and are powered by a 5.0-liter V8 engine developing 349 hp at 4,500 rpm and 560 Nm (413 lb-ft) of torque at 4,100 rpm.
The engine is linked to a Sadev six-speed sequential gearbox, which sends power to all four wheels. The Dakar Ford Rangers also have limited slip differentials on each axle and a 500-liter (132-gallon) fuel tank. Why so big? Well, because the racing pickups average 90 liters of fuel per 100 km (2.6 US mpg) in sandy racing conditions and 28 l/100 km (8.4 US mpg) during normal road driving.
The cars have independent suspension front and rear and Brembo water cooled rear brakes (those on the front are air cooled). Each of the Rangers weighs 1,975 kg (4,354 lbs) and can reach a top speed of 170 km/h (106 mph).
Ford Motor Company’s Global Product Developments division assisted Neil Woolridge Motorsport in building the Rangers, one of which is already complete and will start testing in August. The second Ranger is under construction and will be completed at the end of October. The logistics and European operations will be managed by Frankfurt-based South Racing GmbH.
The 2014 Dakar will be the 6th successive running in South America and will include Bolivia for the first time. The event will span over 8,500 kilometers (5,281 miles) of rough terrain between Rosario, Argentina and Valparaiso, Chile.
By Dan Mihalascu
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