Ford Bronco Raptor debuts with even more off-road capability

Tuesday, 25 January 2022

The Ford Bronco Raptor has been revealed in all its glory. (Supplied)

Ford has revealed the ultra-hardcore Bronco Raptor, designed to smash desert dunes at triple-digit speeds, tackle extreme boulder crawling, and everything in between.

Starting with the chassis, Ford has given the Bronco Raptor increased suspension travel and track width for added stability during high-sped desert runs. The frame is a fully boxed, high-strength steel unit, gaining new shock towers that increase wheel travel and off-road durability.

That suspension is an upgraded High-Performance Off-Road Stability Suspension (HOSS) system, getting Live Valve technology, similar to the F-150 Raptor’s position-sensitive dampers. The Bronco Raptor has Fox 3.1 internal bypass semi-active dampers that are specially tuned at the front and rear, with integrated reservoirs up front and remote reservoirs in rear.

The Bronco Raptor has been revealed, and it wants to go literally everywhere.

Suspension height sensors and other sensors at each corner monitor terrain conditions independently hundreds of times every second and adjust suspension tuning accordingly.

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The Bronco Raptor has 60 per cent more travel at the front and 40 per cent more at the rear compared to a regular Bronco.

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Also increasing wheel travel are Ford Performance front and rear control arms, boosting maximum travel to 330mm at the front and 355mm at the rear.

A 298kW twin-turbo V6 means the Bronco Raptor should be seriously fast off-road.

Competition-spec axles, also used on the Bronco DR race truck, have been added, with the rear axle now a semi-float Dana 50 unit with 235mm ring gear, while the Dana 44 front-drive unit gets upgraded half-shafts with 210mm rung gear. The new axles widen the track width by 218mm over a base Bronco.

Underneath the nose are heavy-duty bash plates, covering the area between the front bumper to the back of the engine, transmission and transfer case. Reinforcement in the B-pillar crossbar and C-pillar help increase torsional rigidity in the body by more than 50 per cent compared to a standard Bronco.

A reworked 4x4 system with three modes includes a stronger clutch, and an upgraded transfer case gets a 3.06 4x4 low ratio for up to 67.7:1 crawl ratio.

Tyres are BFGoodrich 37-inch KO2 all-terrain units, the largest on any production SUV in America, Ford says.

Under the bonnet is a retuned version of the 3.0-litre Ecoboost twin-turbo V6, which is apparently still being finalised, as Ford only says it will make “more than 400 horsepower” (298kW). It is paired with a ten-speed automatic with Ford Performance tuning and a dual exhaust system with active valves. There was no mention of any plug-in power.

Styling changes include Ford block lettering over the grille, LED headlights with amber daytime running lights and integrated amber indicators. A heavy-duty modular steel front bumper by Ford Performance features tow hooks, removable bumper end caps for improved off-road clearance, integrated removable LED fog lamps and off-road lamps for greater illumination.

The bonnet features an integrated vent in Carbon Black, while the fender vents are painted in the body colour. Along the sides are Raptor badges, and new splatter graphics on the bonnet and towards the rear.

Inside is a 12-inch driver’s display that includes a Bronco Raptor-exclusive Performance View that emphasises the tachometer and gear readings and allows the customization of gauges.

Another 12-inch display is in the middle of the dash, running the Sync4 operating system. A 360-degree camera is standard, while optional extras include a 10-speaker Bang and Olufsen sound system and adaptive cruise control.

As standard, the Bronco Raptor gets black Onyx marine-grade vinyl seats and rubberised washout flooring. The dark interior is accented with Ford Performance Code Orange splashes on the G.O.A.T. Modes rotary dial, dash vents, door netting, steering wheel stitching and Bronco logo on the instrument panel. Even the push-button ignition lights up in orange.

Touchpoints such as the grab handles, steering wheel bezel and gear shifter are covered in low-gloss carbon fibre.

Unfortunately, the Bronco Raptor looks to remain forbidden fruit for us here in New Zealand, as Ford doesn’t want to convert it – or any Bronco model – to right-hand drive. However, the fact it is based on the Ranger platform could suggest some very tasty things indeed about the upcoming Ranger Raptor.