| Ford Bantam | |
|---|---|
 First generation Ford Bantam | |
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer |
|
| Also called | Mazda Rustler (1983–2001) |
| Production | 1983–2011 |
| Model years |
|
| Assembly | South Africa: Struandale,Port Elizabeth South Africa:Silverton, Pretoria |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | Coupé utility |
| Layout | Front-engine, front-wheel-drive |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | Transversely-mountedI4; front-wheel-drive transaxle |
TheFord Bantam is acoupé utility/pickup (known inSouth African English as a 'Bakkie') produced inSouth Africa. Production of the Bantam spanned three generations, with the vehicle produced in South Africa for sale within the South African market.
Introduced inSouth Africa in 1983, the Bantam enjoyed success both as a rugged compactcommercial vehicle, and as a leisure-oriented private vehicle. It was discontinued in 2011 without immediate replacement.
Coupe utility pickups such as the Bantam are popular in South Africa as a more affordable, compact andfuel-efficient alternative to larger commercial pickups such as theToyota Hilux,Nissan Navara and Ford's ownRanger. Theircompact size and ease of handling means they are viable not just as light- to medium-duty commercial vehicles, but also as everyday transport.
Pickups intended for heavy commercial use (in South Africa, the so-calledone-tonner class) tend to be based around a steelladder-frame chassis, with the cab and load box mounted separately. In this class,petrol-driven engines are generally between 2,000 cc and 4,000 cc in displacement, anddiesel engines are generally between 2,000 cc and 3,200 cc. The vehicles are usuallyrated to carry loads of between 900 and 1,100 kilograms (2,000 and 2,400 lb).
By contrast, the shells of compact pickups such as the Bantam (known ashalf-tonners) are almost always ofmonocoque (unibody) configuration. This yields greater commonality of parts with the passenger cars they are based on, as well as easier assembly on a parallelproduction line. They generally have around 35% lesstare mass than a typical 'one-tonner', their engines generally displace between 1,300 cc and 1,800 cc, and they are usually rated to carry loads of no more than 800 kilograms (1,800 lb).
The first-generation Bantam was introduced in South Africa in 1983. It was intended to compete for market share that was, at the time, almost entirelymonopolised byNissan's B140 1400 Bakkie (which had been derived from theB110 sedan), with the remainder accounted for by the recently releasedVolkswagen Caddy. The Bantam (named after abreed of fowl known for its small size and courageous, defiant nature) was based on theMark III Ford Escort.[1] It featured a South African-developed load box, tailgate, rear lights, rear quarter windows andleaf-sprung,dead-axle rear suspension.
Like the Escort on which it was based, the Bantam was initially available with 1,296 cc and 1,598 cccarburettor-fed versions of Ford'scompound valve-angle hemi (CVH) engine. Faced with criticism from the South African market regarding noise, vibration, harshness and unreasonably high fuel consumption, Ford South Africa opted to discontinue CVH engine installation. Subsequently, South African Escorts and Bantams were fitted with crossflow variants of the technicallyobsoleteKent engine.
The Bantam was initially produced at the Ford plant in Struandale,Port Elizabeth. Upon Ford'sapartheid-era divestment from South Africa, Bantam production was relocated to theSamcor plant in Silverton,Pretoria. The exterior tailgate panels on pre-divestment Bantams and Rustlers have 'Ford' or 'Mazda' script pressed into them, while post-divestment vehicles have 'MMI' script.
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Within the South African market, the Bantamwas also available as the Mazda Rustler.[2]
In 1990, the Escort-derived Bantam was replaced with aMazda 323-derived model. To save on research and development costs, the new Bantam used a slightly modified version of the existing load box from the previous Bantam. Re-styling and finishing of the new vehicle were undertaken by Samcor's in-house design studio. The new Bantam was the first South African-produced vehicle to be subjected to computer-modelled finite-element stress analysis, and also benefitted from accelerated durability testing conducted by theUniversity of Pretoria. As before, the vehicle was also available as a Mazda Rustler.[3]
323-derived Bantams and Rustlers were available in various trim levels, and with a choice of three different petrol engines: a 1,323 cc carburettor-fed Mazda B3 engine producing 50 kW, a 1,597 cc carburettor-fed Mazda B6 engine producing 60 kW, and a 1,597 ccfuel-injected variant of the B6 engine that produced 77 kW.
Luxury-specification 60 kW versions featuring cloth-covered bucket seats, a sports steering wheel and bodywork decals were also available. The Ford variant was badged theExplorer, while the Mazda variant was badged theDrifter.
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The third-generation Bantam was launched in 2002, based on the fifth-generationFord Fiesta. As with the Mazda 323-derived Bantam, the Fiesta-derived Bantam retained a modified version of the Bantam Mark I load box and rear suspension. Production continued at the Silverton plant. Though theMazda 121 (a re-badged Ford Fiesta) was available in South Africa, demand was judged sufficiently low that a Mazda-rebadged Bantam was never produced.
The third-generation Bantam was initially made available with a choice of 1,297 cc and 1,597 cc Rocam (Roller Finger Camshaft) petrol engines, and a normally-aspirated 1,755 ccEndura-Ddiesel engine. Being a low-cost derivative of the multi-valve Zetec-SE that was intended for developing markets, the Brazilian-designedRocam engine is of single overhead-cam configuration with two valves per cylinder.
Rocam-engined Bantams were available in four different trim levels, with bucket seats as standard equipment on all Bantams. Basic (fleet) versions featured austere interiors withvinyl seat trim, and noair conditioning,power steering or audio system. XL versions featured Jacquard cloth upholstery, 14-inchalloy wheels, four-speaker sound systems, full instrumentation, power steering and air conditioning. In addition to XL-level features, XLT versions featured electric windows, electrically-adjustable mirrors, front fog lights, colour-coded exterior mirrors and front bumper. In addition to XLT-level features, XLE versions featured colour-coded exterior door handles, white-faced race-style instrumentation, driver and passengerairbags, andpyrotechnic seat-belt tensioners.Endura-D-engined Bantams were available in basic and XL trim levels.
In 2006, the Bantamunderwent minor restyling as part of a mid-life upgrade. The instrumentation cluster was simplified, the double-filament headlights were replaced with headlights featuring separate bulbs for dipped and main beams, the rear lights and front fog lights were redesigned, and different alloy wheels were installed on XL, XLT and XLE versions. The diesel engine option was no longer available.
In 2009, the Bantam received a second mid-life upgrade consisting of all-new bonnet, headlights, front bumper, rear lights, 'liquid chrome' nomenclature, instrument cluster and interior trim. Rocam-engined versions also receivedcatalytic convertors, this facelift would make it more in line with the Indian Ikon, which also bore the same front end after it was facelifted in 2008. To counter the challenge posed by more modern half-ton pickups with advancedturbodiesel engines (such as the Opel Corsa Utility), Ford South Africa also offered the 1,399 ccDuraTorq engine option.
In 2011, Ford South Africa ended production of the Bantam, focussing its marketing efforts on the larger and more expensiveRanger. In 2013, Ford USA followed suit, discontinuing imports of the Brazilian-madeCourier.[4][5] With no equivalent replacement available, Ford's support for the half-ton coupe utility segment effectively ended.
Another coupe pickup was derived from the fifth-generation Fiesta, independently of the Bantam. The resulting vehicle, theFord Courier, was designed and produced in Brazil, initially for the Brazilian domestic market.Aft of the vehicle A-pillars, the Bantam and Courier share almost no common parts. Whereas the Bantam uses the shorter front doors of theFord Ikon and 5-door Fiesta hatchback in conjunction with rear quarter windows, the Courier uses the longer front doors from the 3-door Fiesta hatchback, with no quarter windows. In addition, after the Bantam was facelifted in 2009, it and the Courier did not share a similar front end. Production of the Fiesta-based Courier ended in 2013.
Following the discontinuation of the Fiesta-derived Bantam,Fiat South Africa's withdrawal of the Palio-derivedStrada andGeneral Motors'disinvestment from the South African market (effectively ending production of theSpark-derivedChevrolet Utility), theRenault Logan-derivedNissan NP200 is the only remaining half-ton coupe utility on the South African market as of November 2024.
South Africa's deteriorating economy, combined with the relative unaffordability of larger pickups such as theToyota Hilux andFord Ranger mean that demand for a Bantam replacement has never abated. Since the end of Bantam production, unconfirmedrumours have circulated regarding plans by Ford South Africa to replace the Bantam with a direct equivalent.[6][7] As of 2024, no such vehicle has yet been produced.
Rumours continue to circulate that Ford USA may develop a replacement for the Brazilian Courier, possibly based on the next-generationFocus platform. If cleared for production, the new vehicle could be released by 2022.[8] However, after the coronavirus pandemic, Ford stopped manufacturing in Brazil and switched to solely selling imported vehicles in Brazil.[9]
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