Ford’s new combo
After the success of the Ranger ute, Ford decided there was a need for a performance model and looked at the success of the F-150 Raptor for inspiration.
So meet the Ranger Raptor, the first combination of a sports ute and a urban truck.
The double cab truck was revealed in Bangkok this week to its target Asia Pacific and South African markets.
Whereas the more urbanfavoured Ford Ranger has been New Zealand’s number one vehicle for three years, the Raptor has been designed for tougher offroading.
The ute will be launched in New Zealand later this year, with prices announced closer to sale date.
“Ford is turning dreams into reality with the launch of the first ever Ranger Raptor,” said Ford NZ marketing manager Jeremy Nash. “With legendary Ford Performance DNA, the Ranger Raptor has been designed to give
our customers the most exhilarating off-road driving experience yet.”
The Ranger Raptor includes standard front and rear Fox Racing Shox shock absorbers for high speeds off-road, with those shock absorbers critical in the success of the vehicle driving at high speed off road.
The Raptor has increased ride height, a wider track and improved approach and departure angles for extreme off-road capability and stability than the standard Ranger.
The Ranger gets a 2.2-litre or 3.2-litre diesel engines but the
Raptor gets the first Ford combination of a 2-litre bi-turbo diesel engine paired with a
10-speed transmission that provides closer gear ratios over a wider span.
That engine produces 157kW of power and 500Nm of torque, making it the most powerful in the line-up compared with the 470Nm
3.2-litre diesel Ranger Wildtrak. The Raptor has been designed for the Asia Pacific region by Ford Performance, whose chief engineer, Jamal Hameedi, said the name “Raptor” was inherited from the Ford F-150 Raptor. “Just like the F-150 Raptor, the Ranger Raptor builds upon the core capability of the range of vehicles it comes from and carries the unmistakable Ford Performance DNA appearance.”
It’s grille is similar to the F-150 Raptor, while the frame mounted front-bumper system is designed to offer desert durability performance and resist dents and dings often associated with offroad usage, says Ford.
The Ranger Raptor is 873mm high, 2180mm wide and 5398mm long, with wider front and rear tracks at 1710mm. Ground clearance is increased to 283mm, while the approach angle of 32.5 degrees, ramp over angle of 24 degrees, and departure angle of 24 degrees.
All-terrain BF Goodrich 285/70 R17 tyres have been specially developed for the Ranger Raptor with tough sidewall, and an aggressive off-road tread pattern which provides grip in wet, mud, sand and snow conditions.
Ranger Raptor also comes with unique underbody protection bash plate made from 2.3mm thick high-strength steel.
The double cab truck’s Terrain Management System (TMS) offers six modes for various driving experiences, which can be selected via a dedicated fivebutton switch on the steering wheel.
“It is amazing to enable this level of performance and create a vehicle that can provide off-road enthusiasts such an adrenaline rush,” said Hameedi. “It really is like a motocross bike, snowmobile and an ATV rolled up into a pickup truck — it’s an incredible, awesome experience!”
The Ford Ranger Raptor will be produced by Ford Thailand Manufacturing.