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The annual Nampo Expo near Bothaville in the Free State draws farmers from all over the country to view the latest tractors, farming equipment and road vehicles.
One of the largest agricultural exhibitions in the southern hemisphere, this year’s four-day show was expected to draw more than 80,000 visitors by the time it finishes on Friday.
Car companies unveiled an array of working and leisure vehicles at this year’s show, which is themed “Agriculture in a Digital Age”. Here are some of the highlights:
Ford
The new Tourneo eight-seater family hauler had its first public outing. The blue oval bus has arrived to take on competitors such as the Hyundai Staria and Volkswagen Kombi and is initially available in a long-wheelbase Trend model.
It is powered by a 2.0l four-cylinder turbodiesel engine with outputs of 100kW and 360Nm, feeding the front wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission.
Priced at R999,200, it has a new chassis and suspension for improved refinement and a lower floor height with an integrated side step to make ingress and loading easier. It has undergone a hi-tech cabin overhaul and has three rows of seats that can be configured in various ways.
Ford also showed the new Transit Custom long-wheelbase panel van, the first derivative of its commercial vehicle range. The 1.2–tonne van is designed for small and medium businesses and features a larger side door for easier loading with a lowered load floor. Powered by the same 2.0l turbodiesel as the Tourneo, the two-seater van has a payload of up to 1,269kg and can accommodate up to three standard euro pallets.
It is priced at R692,200.
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