It was a sad day when the Ford Bantam 1300 went away. Since 2011, there has been nothing to replace the smaller, lighter utility vehicle in South Africa. That may change soon, according to the company’s head, Jim Farley.
Speaking during Ford’s Q3 2026 earnings call, Farley said, “Next year, we will be launching our affordable midsize pickup for international markets.” The vehicle has been in planning since the beginning of the year, but no real details have emerged. A possible launch date is more than enough to start with.
A Ford-able
Provided the more affordable bakkie comes to South Africa. The American manufacturer hasn’t said where internationally its new midsize will appear. Given the local market, it would make sense for South Africa to get a shot. Not everybody wants (or can finance) a Ranger. And a manageable price tag is something the company seems particularly set on.
“Just as Maverick has done in the US, this truck is designed to bring new customers into the Ford truck lineup internationally at a cost structure that allows us to compete — in this case with the Chinese,” said Farley.
Currently, new Chinese bakkies in South Africa range from R310,000 to about R600,000. If the Americans can bring something to market that sits on the lower end of that spectrum, large numbers of tradesmen will at least take a look. Many of them, based on observational evidence, will live on South Africa’s coast. That’s where you’ll still find a large concentration of surviving Ford Bantam bakkies still in service.
In fact, the company should simply resurrect the Bantam in SA. It wouldn’t be hard to recapture market share with that choice alone.
