If you were waiting for a Ford Bronco Raptor to appear at your local dealership before purchasing, you might have missed the chance this year. Subtly announced through Ford Motor Company’s Bronco Raptor Build and Price tool, was the statement, “Due to high demand, the current model year is no longer available for retail order.” It seems that even with Ford’s chip shortages and plant shutdowns, the market is still hungry to gobble up the Blue Oval’s products.
The Ford Bronco was already a major success before the Bronco Raptor was released to the general public. After the Bronco took the top three spots at King Of The Hammers, the Raptor variant was poised to be the next step in providing future Bronco owners something to lust after. The price tag of only $69,995, pre-dealer adjustments, made it even more alluring. However, it appears the Raptor was so desired, that it was sold out before most reviews had even taken place!
The Bronco Raptor added value by coming equipped with all the goodies to separate itself from the normal Bronco, starting with a set of 37-inch tires, Dana 50 solid rear axle and Dana 44 front axles with upgraded Ford Performance half shafts. The suspension upped the ante with a HOSS 4.0 suspension with Fox 3.1 live valve shocks. This setup promised suspension travel to be increased by 60-percent in the front and 40-percent in the rear. A Terrain Management System with seven Goes Over Any Type of Terrain modes finished the package off. Although not equipped with a 5.2-liter supercharged engine seen in the upcoming F-150 Raptor R, the twin-turbo V6 still packs an impressive 400-horsepower.
Aside from winning a Bronco Raptor, it seems like the only options left on the table are to purchase one second hand at an absorbent price point. Unfortunately, Ford does not have any preventative measures lined up to make sure this practice is curbed, so get ready to start seeing prices rivaling the auction of VIN 001. Meanwhile, dealers have already started offering to buy reservations to satisfy those clients with pockets deep, but poor planning. In any case, we’re looking forward to seeing these on the road despite not having to the ability to purchase one of our own.