GRAVEL RASH
Going bush in the Ford Ranger Raptor
Arms elbow deep, sand filling each fingernail, nervous chuckles concealing regret as the sea creeps ever closer in the background.
Then from the horizon, a pair of other off-roaders — saviours — emerge. We climb up from the ground and wave them down in this time of need. Out hops a character in dreadlocks, dressed in white like some kind of biblical apparition.
“Got any drugs or alcohol?” he asks.
“Uhh … nah mate. But we can probably help with that second one?”
I didn’t expect to start this Ford Ranger Raptor story with a tale of getting it stuck. That wasn’t in the script. This is meant to be an allconquering off-roading beast after all.
But, just as wearing cowboy boots does not make one John Wayne, ownership of a Ranger Raptor (priced at $84,990) does not turn a pair of hapless townies into
off-roading aficionados.
None of this was the Raptor’s fault. No amount of manufacturer prep can prevent operator error from wedging a lower suspension arm on an errant log. Thankfully a pair of well-prepared surfers and their humble Nissan Patrol rescued us — our tails well and truly between our legs as we scurried back to firm terra firma.
When it’s not digging a hole through Muriwai beach to the other side of the planet, the new Ford Ranger Raptor is the staunchest off-roader on the market. Beefed-up guards and arches cover a widened track and meaty 33in BF Goodrich all-terrain tyres. Chiselled lines on the bonnet give emphasis to its jawline and the bold, proud Ford grille lettering.
When this thing rolls past, everyone stares.
Changes in the cabin aren’t nearly as vast. Blue stitching frames the padded dashboard and more, while standard Ranger seats get chucked in favour of a comfortable pair of heated suede and leatherette buckets. Magnesium paddle shifters and a new steering wheel are also Raptor exclusives, with almost everything else formed out of cheap but durable plastics.
The elephant in the room is, of course, the engine.
It’s a 2-litre four-cylinder biturbodiesel that makes 157kW of power and 500Nm of torque between 1750 — 2000rpm: 10kW/
30Nm more than Ford’s popular
3.2-litre five-cylinder, and equal torque to the Holden Colorado (and, by proxy, the HSV SportsCat range).
It’s a surprisingly pleasant engine in daily commuting. In low RPMs it’s quiet, working well with Ford’s new 10-speed automatic transmission. Plant your foot, and off the mark it feels much more eager than its 3.2-litre cousin — thanks to a thirst for revs and the secondary turbo supplying instant response before tag-teaming with the other turbo at the top end.
The smaller engine means improved fuel consumption — although admittedly not by much. On the motorway we managed to achieve 7.2L/100km, while on a combined cycle we averaged
9L/100km; slightly above Ford’s
8.2L/100km claims but still impressive for a 2400kg ute.
As noted in our Darwin launch debrief, it even sounds good . . . for a 2-litre. In high revs, it conjures a hearty thrumming noise — like a halfway house between the fivecylinder and a boxer engine.
The problem, however, is that Ford’s captive audience has had a tough time interpreting all these numbers and specifications, and aligning it with the idea of a performance vehicle. And indeed, the Raptor’s 10.4secs 0-100km/h time is unlikely to impress many. It’s sharp off the line, true, but in
a rolling-start race the 3.2-litre engine would give the four-banger a run for its money.
And don’t mention the Volkswagen Amarok V6 Adventura, with its ability to hit 100km/h in under eight seconds.
Because of these elements, the Ranger Raptor will be disqualified as a performance vehicle in the eyes of many. And that’s a shame, because those who write it off early will miss out on one of the most hysterical, chuckable, ludicrously capable vehicles of any segment. On gravel, it’s a genius. There are many reasons for this; most of which are reflected in the “nerdalicious” numbers. Approach, departure, and breakover angles sit at 32.5, 24, and 24 degrees respectively. Ground clearance is 283mm, helping achieve an 850mm water-wading depth and 30 per cent more wheel travel than the rest of the range.
But numbers, as usual, tell only part of the story. And perhaps the most impressive thing about the Ranger’s off-road skillset isn’t wheel travel, but rather the perceived lack of wheel travel when the going gets tough. Little of the jarring sensation that you’d expect makes its way into the cabin — particularly for rebound rates coming off a bump.
This is almost entirely thanks to the Fox Racing 2.5in internal bypass shock absorbers that somehow numb the majority of corrugation from adverse surfaces while simultaneously retaining plenty of confidence-inspiring feel through the steering wheel.
It’s a marvellous balance that makes the Raptor remarkable on gravel. The only way to perceivably have more fun in anything else on dirt would be to go the
aftermarket. The one trade-off is that the softer set-up trims towing capacity down from 3500kg braked to 2500kg.
In this setting — the one it’s built for — even the 2-litre engine shines. Zero to 100 doesn’t matter when you’re getting sideways and eating up jumps, and its bi-turbo bones and revvy demeanour are perfect companions off-road.
So, by all means, point out its straight-line shortcomings, its tall pricing, and lost towing capabilities. And if you’re scoping out a Ranger predominantly for road use, an XLT or Wildtrak will perhaps fit your needs better.
But, for those who want to explore, get filthy, get airborne, and play the social peacock every now and again, the Raptor is the best in the business.
But pack a shovel, just in case.