The first-ever Ranger Raptor, Ford’s new off-road, performance pick-up truck, blasted out from behind its camouflage during a reveal event in Thailand recently. The ultimate Ranger is purposefully designed, built and tested to set a benchmark as the only factory-built performance truck across the Asia Pacific.
As the arena for light truck wars continues to grow, Ford sets another bar higher than the last. Setting a new benchmark in off-road pickup capability, the Ranger Raptor has been designed to combine Ford Performance DNA with the Ranger’s renowned toughness and engineering capability.
“We are so excited and proud to unleash this vehicle to the public, driving it really makes you feel like a hero,” said Jamal Hameedi, chief engineer, Ford Performance. “The Ford Performance team is excited to extend the Raptor name from our flagship off-road performance F-150 to Ranger. 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.”
The new Raptor Ranger will be equipped with a new powertrain consisting of a 10-speed automatic transmission and a 2.0-liter Bi-Turbo diesel engine. We will see what options the Raptor Ranger will have when it comes to the US.
Bold Design
At the front, a stunning new grille takes styling cues from the world’s first factory-built high-performance off-road truck, the F-150 Raptor. A frame mounted front-bumper system is designed to offer desert durability performance and a distinctive presence. The front bumper also includes new LED fog lamps with functional air-curtain ducts, which help to reduce air resistance of the body.
Like it’s big brother, the inside of the Raptor Ranger is outfitted with top of the line interior characteristics. Craftsmanship, harmonious colors, and durable materials that are suitable for both off-road driving and everyday use. The seating is designed for off-road high-speed support, allowing the driver to engage in enthusiastic handling while also providing superior on-road comfort.
Using a combination of composite materials, the front fenders are dent and ding resistant to scenarios that are associated with off-road usage, and not to mention they look tough. The flared shape of the fenders is required for the long travel suspension and oversized tires.
Tuned for all Terrains
Ranger Raptor includes standard front and rear Fox Racing shock absorbers to help travel at high speeds off-road and includes increased ride height, wider track and improved approach and departure angles that ensure extreme off-road capability and stability. Innovative all-new Watt’s linkage rear suspension with coil-over rear springs helps ensure rear axle lateral stability off-road while also improving ride and handling.
“The standout experience of the Ranger Raptor, hands down, is how far you can push it off-road versus any other available production road vehicle in our markets, and still ride like a millionaire on-road,” said Damien Ross, Chief Program Engineer, Ranger Raptor, Ford Motor Company. “Everything about the Ranger Raptor builds on the already outstanding sophisticated feel and functional capability of the Ranger, and then goes further. From a driving dynamic fun standpoint, it is really an exceptionally special vehicle.”
The design offers a tough sidewall to take on all environments with confidence, a super grippy tread to extend owners’ adventure time on and off-road and an aggressive off-road tread pattern which provides grip in wet, mud, sand and snow conditions.
Ranger Raptor comes with a Terrain Management System (TMS) offering six modes for various driving experiences, which can be selected via a dedicated five-button switch located on the steering wheel. Each mode has been calibrated to offer the best possible combination of technologies working in unison to tackle the chosen terrain or driving style with aplomb. On-road there is normal mode and sport mode, but off-road is where all the fun is with grass/gravel/snow mode, mud/sand mode, rock mode, and Baja mode.
The stance of the truck is noticeably bigger from every angle, standing at 1873-mm tall, 2180-mm wide, and 5398-mm long. Wider front and rear tracks at 1710-mm create a larger footprint as well. Ground clearance is increased to 283mm, while the approach angle of 32.5 degrees, ramp over an angle of 24 degrees, and departure angle of 24 degrees.
Bi-Turbo Diesel
The Ford-designed and Ford-built 10-speed automatic transmission is shared with the F-150 Raptor and has been created with high-strength steel, aluminum alloys, and composites to optimize durability and weight. Having 10 gears means a wider ratio-span resulting in better acceleration and responsiveness. The 10-Speed transmission is combined with a new 2.0-liter Bi-Turbo diesel engine in the Ranger Raptor to deliver a maximum of 210 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque.
This testing includes running a ‘thermo cycle’ on the engine, heating both turbos to the point of glowing red for 200 hundred hours non-stop. It can withstand this torture thanks to the turbo bearings and low-pressure turbo being water cooled to reduce temperature, avoid over-heating and protect the air induction components.
Working as a team, the smaller, high-pressure (HP) turbo is connected in a sequence to the larger, LP turbo and is controlled with by-pass valves that determine the operating mode depending on engine speed. At lower engine speeds, the two turbos work in series, enhancing torque and responsiveness, while at higher engine speeds, the small HP turbo is bypassed, and the higher LP turbo provides boost to deliver more power.
Inheriting vital capability from the truly successful Ranger and complementing that with DNA from the F-150 Raptor, the Ranger Raptor is set to turn heads throughout Asia Pacific and around the world. “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 in Ford Thailand Manufacturing (FTM) using Ford’s latest state of the art manufacturing techniques and facilities. What do you think of the Raptor Ranger? Tell us in the comments below.