‘Where we’re going, we don’t need roads’
IF YOU’D like to pretend that you’re on a Dakar stage every morning on the way to the office or site, then Ford has built a factory-finish bakkie for you.
Taking the standard, popular Ranger and beefing it up for added dynamism, the Ranger Raptor goes against the grain, offering a tailored, sporty chassis, a sharpened driving-aid system and a whole lot of grin-factor.
As one of the most highly anticipated new models for 2019, the all-new Ford Ranger Raptor creates a new breed of off-road vehicles that push the limits when it comes to road-car technology, innovation and driving excitement.
Compared with a standard Wildtrak, the Ranger Raptor stands 51mm higher in terms of ride height with 283mm ground clearance. It’s 150mm wider on both front and rear tracks and offers 850mm wading depth. With a 32.5-degree approach angle, and rampover and departure angles of 24 degrees, it is ready to go where few vehicles can.
Leap inside the Ranger Raptor and you will immediately fall in love with its sporty seats, designed and trimmed in suede-like material for maximum grip, and to give you optimum back support during high-performance offroad driving.
Other sporty details include blue stitching and leather accents, as well as an aggressively-styled instrument cluster with red needles for the dials that emphasise its race-bred credentials.
The Ranger Raptor is equipped with Ford’s latest 2.0-litre Bi-Turbo diesel engine that delivers a maximum of 157kW of power and 500Nm of torque. Ford says you gain the best here, with high-performance and efficiency, thanks to a small high-pressure turbo and a large low-pressure turbo that work together to provide thunderous performance for its capacity. Ford also says you will never have to worry about whether it will be up to the task, as the powertrain has been designed for the most powerful and highest stress application. This includes running a torturous thermal cycle on the engine, heating both turbochargers to the point of glowing red for 200 hours non-stop.
The Ranger Raptor is equipped with Ford’s all-new 10-speed automatic transmission, which is created with highstrength steel, aluminium alloys and composites to optimise durability and weight. Having 10 gears means a wider ratio-span, resulting in better acceleration and responsiveness in all driving conditions, matched to improved fuel efficiency when cruising. Its Terrain Management System (TMS) includes an exciting Baja mode, inspired by Mexico’s famous Baja Desert Rally, which enables responsive, high-speed off-road performance. In this mode, vehicle systems like Traction Control are pared back to allow spirited off-road driving without intervention from the vehicle’s on-board systems. Gear selection is optimised for maximum performance, and the mapping will hold gears longer and downshift more aggressively.
The Ranger Raptor is loaded with safety and convenience features that make it suitable for on and off-road driving. A host of driver-assist technologies are available at the push of a button, incorporating design features tailored for the Ranger Raptor. For instance, Ford’s standard SYNC3 with Navigation system offers a “breadcrumb” feature to leave a trail in uncharted areas – perfect for the serious off-roader.
And safety being a priority, they say, Ranger Raptor is equipped with Ford Stability Control (FSC), incorporating Roll Stability Control (RSC) that was developed for Ford’s sport utility vehicle range, and has been adapted for the new Ford Performance model. It uses clever sensors to anticipate and minimise oversteer, understeer and roll-over incidents. It really is a thrilling daily.