The covers have come off the 2018 Ford Ranger Raptor at a reveal event in Thailand overnight.
Fans of the F-150 Raptor may be disappointed, there is no turbo V6, instead, Ford has chosen to deploy a new 2.0-litre bi-turbo diesel engine.
The 2.0-litre oiler produces 157kW of power and 500Nm of torque. These outputs are very close to the 147kW/470Nm 3.2-litre five-cylinder diesel engine found in the current Ranger line-up.
Swapping the cogs is a new Ford-designed and Ford-built 10-speed automatic transmission which is shared with the F-150 Raptor. Ford claims having 10 gears means a wider ratio-span resulting in better acceleration and responsiveness.
In terms of styling, the front adopts the ‘FORD’ grille from the F-150 Raptor and LED fog lamps with functional air-curtain ducts, which help to reduce air resistance of the body. There’s also flared arches to accommodate the long travel suspension and larger off-road tyres.
Filling the arches are 17-inch wheels wrapped in all-terrain BF Goodrich 285/70 R17 tyres which have been specially developed for the Ranger Raptor. Each tyre measures 838mm in diameter and 285mm in width. The new tyre offers a tougher sidewall to conquer most off-road endeavours.
Stopping power comes via a beefed-up braking system. Up front, twin-piston calipers have been increased by 9.5mm in diameter, while the ventilated rotors come in at 332 x 32mm. The rear utilises the same sized rotors coupled with a new 54mm caliper.
Ford claims the Ranger Raptor’s chassis frame is unique, allowing the vehicle to travel at high speeds off-road. Under the sheet metal, the Raptor gets a new coilover rear suspension that uses a Watt’s link setup with a solid rear axle.
The frame consists of various grades of high-strength low-alloy (HSLA) steel with stiffened side-rails which are made from increased HSLA grade steel to cater for off-road high-speed impacts.
Dimensionally, the Ranger Raptor comes in at 1873mm tall, 2180mm wide and 5398mm long, with wider front and rear tracks at 1710mm.
Ground clearance has increased to 283mm (for comparison, the current Ranger Wildtrak is 237mm) while approach, ramp-over and departure angles have improved to 32.5/24/24 degrees respectively.
The Ranger Raptor is equipped with a Terrain Management System (TMS) offering six modes to deal with a variety of driving situations.
There are four off-road modes: Grass/Gravel/Snow, Mud/Sand, Rock and Baja. The Baja mode is inspired by the Baja Desert Rally and is tuned for high-speed off-road performance.
There are also two modes for on-road driving: Normal and Sport. In Sport mode, the throttle response is improved and gear shifts are faster at higher engine speeds.
At the rear, there is a modified rear bumper with an integrated tow bar and two recovery hooks rated at 3.8 tonnes. Caravan and camper trailer enthusiasts should note the Raptor's towing capacity is only 2500kg, 1000kg lower than other Ranger variants.
An EZ Lift Tailgate will also be standard on the Raptor, it offers a 66 per cent reduction in initial lift force.
Ford has also revealed the exterior paint options will consist of Lightning Blue, Race Red, Shadow Black, Frozen White, as well as a unique Hero colour, Conquer Grey. Contrasting Dyno Grey accents apparently help to accentuate the Raptor’s look even further.
On the inside, the Raptor gets bespoke seats trimmed in technical suede to improve comfort over difficult terrain. There is also blue stitching, leather accents and a new steering wheel with a red ‘On-centre’ marker – to let you drivers know where the centre is when operating the vehicle at high speed. This is a common feature of rally cars.
Ford’s latest infotainment platform SYNC 3 with satellite navigation and rear camera will also be standard, as will a range of Ford’s safety technology.
Car Conversation contacted Ford Australia Communications Manager Jasmine Mobarek, who confirmed the Ranger Raptor is due in Australia late in the second half of 2018. Local pricing will be announced closer to this date.
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