Johannesburg – Ford South Africa has once again ruled out the introduction of a hardcore Everest Super Duty, confirming that there will be no model to challenge the Toyota Land Cruiser 76. This decision follows earlier statements from the company, including a firm rejection of a Raptor variant for the Everest back in 2019.
Neale Hill, Ford South Africa’s boss, explained in an interview with The Citizen six years ago that the Everest and the Ranger Raptor serve distinct markets and fulfill different customer needs. Despite the introduction of the Wildtrak model, Ford has maintained that an Everest Super Duty aimed at right-hand-drive markets would not be viable, citing the company’s focus on specific market demands.
Now, Andrew Birkic, the head of Ford Australia operations, has reaffirmed that there are no plans to produce an Everest Super Duty. Speaking to carsales.com.au, Birkic stated that the demand for such a model is “low to nil,” and emphasized that Ford’s resources are being directed towards the Ranger Super Duty project. He explained that creating an Everest Super Duty would be a “hobby project” rather than a commercially viable venture. “We don’t have endless resources, so you have to make decisions,” Birkic said. “We’ve made a very intentional decision to focus on the Ranger Super Duty.”
Despite sharing the T6 platform with the Ranger and Bronco, the Everest faces significant challenges in making the leap to a Super Duty variant. One of the main issues is the suspension setup, with the Everest using coil springs while the Ranger Super Duty relies on leaf springs. This difference further complicates the possibility of a Super Duty version of the Everest, especially when the vehicle’s primary market is family and passenger use, rather than heavy-duty off-roading.
While South African customers won’t see a Super Duty version of the Everest, the current lineup offers two off-road focused models: the Wildtrak and the Tremor, though the latter is not available locally.
Ford has also revealed its plans for a revised 2026 Everest range, which will include the introduction of a 2.3 EcoBoost petrol engine, replacing the previously offered 2.0-litre Panther bi-turbodiesel. Additionally, the 3.0-litre Lion turbodiesel V6 engine will be expanded to more derivatives. However, the Super Duty and the Ranger Plug-in Hybrid (which is produced locally but exported only) will not be included in these updates. These changes are set to arrive in South Africa during the first half of 2026.
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