4 rugged Fords we can’t wait to see at SEMA this year
Will Ferrell’s Zoolander antagonist Mugatu said it best: “Overlanding—so hot right now.”
The Specialty Equipment Market Association, better known as SEMA, is the place for all things overlanding—and for all things aftermarket in general. Ford is bringing out all the adventure-mobile that you can handle, with a smorgasbord of Ranger mid-size trucks and Transit cargo vans configured every which way.
Here are four of our favorites.
RTR Ramber Ford Ranger
Take Ranger, add lights, lift generously, install roof-rack and bed-mounted tent, apply snorkel to taste.
The RTR Rambler Ranger, in addition to being a mouthful for a pirate, is the next vehicle to receive the “Ready to Rock” treatment from drift master Vaughn Gittin, Jr. Custom overland components like a SkyRise folding truck bed tent and an integrated snowboard capsule (fancy speak for a snowboard rack) give a gritty nod to all things adventure. On the mechanical side, the RTR Rambler gets a Ford-Performance-tuned Fox off-road suspension leveling kit, underbody rock protection, custom RTR fenders, and custom RTR wheels with 33-inch Nitto Ridge Grappler tires.
Yakima Ford Ranger
When you can’t have white-water kayaking without a side helping of mountain biking, you can turn to this 2019 Ranger kitted out by Ford accessories partner Yakima.
A bed rack boasts overhead kayak storage for two, along with the trademark cargo box. The familiar Fox leveling kit allows massive, 33-inch BF Goodrich T/A KO2 tires to boost the vehicle higher still. New bumpers front and rear sport a Warn winch and mounts for the four vertically-stored mountain bikes along the back of the vehicle.
Polvoorde Racing/Outside Van Ford Transit
Tracks! Lucas Oil Off Road racer Christopher Polvoorde decided that the best way to get his kitted-out motorhome/rolling garage/mobile hangout to the gnarliest of areas was to swap the wheels of this all-wheel-drive Transit van for a set of tracks. We dig it.
The van sports living accommodations for four up front, along with upgrades for solar power, air conditioning, water, and heat. Aft of the living space, there are mounts for snowboards, kayaks, mountain bikes, and various other adventure-hard goods. A winch is stashed inside the front bumper, and a side awning ensures adventurers can escape the sun while climbing out of mountain bike gear and into fishing waders. (People do that, right?)
Hellwig Ford Ranger
We appreciate Hellwig’s take on an adventure-mobile because it gives serious consideration to sustainability. Present are the near standard-issue roof-top tent, mountain bike rack, and bed rack, but the addition of Goal Zero solar power should assist environmentally-conscious adventurers in reducing their carbon footprints.
The Hellwig Ranger sports a 3.5-inch Icon suspension lift along with Hellwig sway bars, a Ford Performance cat-back exhaust, rear differential cover, and recovery kit. Addictive Desert Designs rock sliders and bumpers help prevent the tall Ranger from snagging on—erm—basically anything.
What’s on your must-see list at SEMA this year? Let us know below.
