Ford unleashes the beast: 292kW Ranger Raptor revealed

Tuesday, 22 February 2022

Ford has unveiled the new Ranger Raptor, complete with a mighty 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 powering it.

Ford has pulled the covers of the hot Raptor version of the forthcoming Ranger ute, an off-road beast that now packs a 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 petrol engine straight out of the US Bronco Raptor that produces close to double the current Ranger Raptor’s power.

Yes, you read that right – Ford has responded to criticisms that the last Raptor's engine wasn’t powerful enough (the 2.0-litre biturbo diesel produced 157kW) by switching to the petrol V6 with a power output of “up to” 292kW, with a hefty 583Nm of torque along for the ride as well.

This essentially moves the Ranger Raptor into a class of its own when it comes to “performance utes” (at least for now), something acknowledged by Dave Burn, Ford Performance Chief Program Engineer for Ranger Raptor.

Ford has revealed the Raptor version of the new Ranger, and it is quite the evolution.

“We’ve really focused on delivering a genuine performance truck with the Next-Gen Ranger Raptor,” he said during an online launch event. “It’s significantly faster, looks incredible, is packed with new features, and is the strongest ‘Built Ford Tough’ Ranger we’ve ever made.”

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The Raptor now packs a 3.0-litre twin-turbo petrol V6 that produces almost twice the power of the current ute.

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The Raptor’s interior has gone further upmarket, with slick sports seats and lots of tech.

The 3.0-litre V6 twin-turbo EcoBoost engine boasts a compacted graphite-iron cylinder block, which Ford says is around 75 per cent stronger and up to 75 per cent stiffer than the iron used in traditional castings, while the Raptor’s anti-lag system – only used in Baja mode – keeps the turbos spinning for up to three seconds after the driver backs off the throttle, allowing for faster resumption of acceleration out of corners or between gears when the driver gets back on the accelerator.

It packs a leather sports steering wheel as well, complete with magnesium paddle shifters.

“The 3.0-litre brings a different dynamic to the Ranger Raptor that will satisfy even the most hardcore performance enthusiast,” said Burn. “The acceleration and raw performance of the new powertrain leaves you grinning from ear-to-ear.”

In some markets the existing 2.0-litre biturbo diesel will remain available in the Raptor, although Ford has yet to announce any market-specific details about the Ranger.

The V6 is hooked up to Ford’s 10-speed automatic transmission and a new electronically controlled active valve exhaust system that amplifies the engine’s bellow in four selectable drive modes (Quiet, Normal, Sport and Baja), while drivers can also choose their preferred engine sound by pressing a button on the steering wheel.

The Raptor inherits its V6 engine from the Bronco Raptor that is unfortunately off-limits to us.

Much like the Mustang, Ford offers the “Quiet” mode so that you don’t need to disturb your neighbours when you fire it up in the morning, while the Baja mode goes for a full-on anti-social bellow that Ford says is “intended for off-road use only”.

The Raptor also gets an all-new, unique look with the bold FORD grille that is exclusive to the Raptor, as well as some huge wheel arch flares to accommodate a wider track and the muscular 17-inch wheels that wear BF Goodrich All-Terrain KO2 tyres. Functional vents, aero features, and a new design of cast aluminium side step round out the tough exterior look.

Ford hasn’t released pricing or on-sale dates yet, but says the Raptor will be here later this year.

On the inside, the Raptor ups the tech and luxury over the current model with “jet fighter-inspired” (yeah, they went there…) sports seats front and rear, orange accents on the instrument panel, trim and seats, as well as ambient lighting and a leather sports steering wheel with cast magnesium paddle shifters.

A high resolution 12.4-inch digital cluster and 12-inch centre touchscreen incorporating Ford’s latest Sync 4 infotainment system dominates the dash, accompanied by a Bang & Olufsen sound system.

Most importantly though, the new Raptor has a tweaked chassis when compared to forthcoming new Ranger it is based on, with a series of unique mounts and reinforcements designed for elements including the C-pillar, load box and spare wheel. Unique frames for the jounce bumper, shock tower and rear shock bracket all combine to ensure the Raptor can handle “punishing off-road conditions.”

The current Raptor is an absolute King of Sweet Jumps, and the new one promises to be no different in that regard, with a completely redesigned suspension set up that includes all-new lightweight aluminium upper and lower control arms, long-travel front and rear suspension and refined Watt’s link equipped coil-spring rear suspension that Ford says have been designed to deliver more control across rough terrain.

“The new suspension upgrades in the Ranger Raptor make the most of the new Fox Live Valve dampers. The suspension adapts in real time to enable exceptional on-road body control while absorbing corrugations and bigger ruts off-road ensuring maximum control and performance,” said Burn.

Ford says the Fox 2.5-inch live valve internal bypass shock absorbers are “the most sophisticated ever on Ranger” and are filled with Teflon-infused oil that reduces friction by around 50 per cent compared to those on the previous Raptor. While the suspension hardware is from Fox, the tuning and development work was carried out by Ford Performance using a mixture of computer-aided engineering (CAE) and real-world testing.

The line valve internal bypass system is linked to the Raptor’s seven selectable drive modes, and has been developed to provide better on-road comfort and off-road ride quality at all speeds.

In addition to working with the drive modes, the system works in the background to prepare the Ranger Raptor for different conditions – as the shocks compress, different zones within the bypass system give exactly the amount of support needed for the travel being used, and work in reverse as the shocks rebound back to full height.

The Raptor also packs some serious underbody protection in the form of a front bash plate made from 2.3mm-thick high-strength steel, that is almost double the size of the standard Ranger bash plate. An engine under-shield and transfer case shield also provide protection for key components like the radiator, steering system, front cross member, engine sump and front differential.

The Raptor also now gets an advanced permanent four-wheel drive system with an electronically controlled on-demand two-speed transfer case, combined with front and rear locking differentials.

The seven selectable drive modes adjust a number of elements from engine and transmission to ABS sensitivity and calibration, traction and stability controls, exhaust valve actuation, steering and throttle response.

The modes include three on-road settings and four off-road settings, with ‘Normal’ being designed for comfort, fuel efficiency and drivability, while ‘Sport’ is more responsive for spirited on-road driving, with ‘Slippery’ being for more confident driving on slippery or uneven surfaces.

Off-road modes include ’Rock Crawl’, which provides optimal traction and momentum on loose surfaces, ‘Sand’ which is for use in soft sand and deep snow conditions, optimising power delivery and transmission shifts, ‘Mud/Ruts’ for maximum grip off-road during launch and maintaining vehicle momentum, and finally ‘Baja’ mode which is tuned for “high-speed off-road performance with all systems set for maximum attack.”

No prices or specific launch timings have been announced yet, but Ford expects to see the Raptor land here in the second half of this year. And we wouldn’t expect it to come cheap, either.