Ford Ranger Raptor: Five Things You Need to Know

Today, Ford officially revealed the Ranger Raptor, an extreme off-road version of its popular midsize pickup truck. Even though it’s smaller than the venerable F-150 Raptor, the new Ranger Raptor looks just as rugged and off-road-ready. In fact, because it isn’t as wide, the Ranger Raptor will probably be able to handle trails that the F-150 Raptor can’t. If that’s piqued your interest, then here are five facts about the new Ford Ranger Raptor that you need to know.

The Ranger Had a Growth Spurt

Based on the official photos, it’s clear the Raptor treatment turned the Ranger into a taller, wider truck. But looking at Ford’s official specs, it’s almost unbelievable how much the Ranger has grown. Compared to a double cab Ranger, the Raptor is more than a foot wider, with a front and rear track that’s grown nearly 6 inches. It also sits about 2 inches higher, giving the Ranger Raptor more than 11 inches of ground clearance. That means it now offers a 32.5-degree approach angle, 24-degree departure angle, and a 24-degree breakover angle.

It Gets a Complete Off-Road Package

The new Ranger Raptor hasn’t simply been widened and lifted. It’s also been fitted with more than its fair share of new components to make sure it’s off-road-ready. That means new dampers from Fox Racing Shox, new rear coilovers, chunky BF Goodrich all-terrain tires, upgraded brakes, underbody protection, and fenders made out of a dent-resistant composite. In the event that you get stuck or need to rescue another vehicle, the Raptor also comes with an integrated tow bar and tow hooks.

The Engine is a Twin-Turbodiesel

Yes, you read that right. The Ranger Raptor has a diesel. Specifically, it has a 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbodiesel that makes 210 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque. But while a lot of trucks have diesel engines, the one in the Ranger Raptor is actually a twin-turbodiesel. Like in gasoline engines, pairing a smaller turbo with a larger one works to minimize lag and improve performance. That power is then sent to the wheels via a 10-speed automatic transmission.

There’s a Drive Mode for Every Occasion

Like the F-150 Raptor, the Ranger Raptor gets Ford’s Terrain Management System. TMS comes with six different drive modes, two for on-road use and four for off-roading. The truck defaults to Normal, but in Sport mode, the transmission shifts faster, holds onto gears longer, and downshifts more aggressively. On slippery surfaces, there’s a Grass/Grave/Snow mode that starts in second gear and smooths out shifts to avoid spinning the tires. Mud/Sand mode, meanwhile, sticks to lower gears in an effort to maximize torque, while Rock mode smooths out the throttle for better low-speed crawling. Finally, there’s Baja mode, the high-speed off-road setting that minimizes traction and stability control while shifting gears like in Sport mode.

This Isn’t the U.S. Version

At the Detroit auto show earlier this month, Ford finally revealed the U.S.-market Ranger. Production will begin later this year, with sales beginning in early 2019. But while there’s a good chance the Ranger Raptor will eventually join the American lineup, in its current form, the truck we saw today will only be sold in the Asia Pacific market. Because of that, any version Ford decides to sell in the U.S. will probably offer different powertrain combinations, interior features, options packages, and sheetmetal.

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