During their last race at Ypres Rally in Belgium, UK-based M-Sport team which is responsible for Ford’s effort in the World Rally Championship presented their Ford Ranger MS-RT pickup and F-Max tractor wearing the Fiesta WRC colors. The vehicles were not created just for show, as they “fill integral roles within the team, both on and off-event”. We guess the F-Max is used for transporting the racecars and the associated gear, while the Ranger could carry tools and spare parts when needed.
Both the pickup and the tractor look quite nice in the white and blue wrap with touches of teal and green while bearing the logos of racing partners and sponsors like Pirelli, Sparco, and Castrol. While the Ford F-Max tractor hasn’t got anything particularly sporty in it, this is not the case with the MS-RT variant of the Ranger.
The Ranger MS-RT, which is only available in selected European markets, is a road-focused version based on the Wildtrak trim level. It comes with a redesigned bodykit including wider fenders and a sporty bumper with larger intakes, and is fitted with 20-inch OZ Racing alloy wheels. The biturbo 2.0-litre diesel engine borrowed from the Ranger Raptor produces 210 hp and 500 Nm of torque, sending power to all four wheels through a 10-speed automatic gearbox. Besides the Ranger, Ford is offering similarly sporty MS-RT versions of their vans including the Transit Custom and Transit Connect.
While M-Sport didn’t do so well in the Ypres Rally, they have high hopes for next year when the new regulations will take place. The team has already presented the Ford Puma Rally1 which will replace the Fiesta WRC starting from the 2022 Monte Carlo Rally in January and, as per the new regulations, will sport a hybrid powertrain.
