Bent on turning its Raptor trim into a wide-reaching line of off-road-ready rigs, Ford will be applying the name to not just its F-150 but also upcoming variants of the Bronco and Ranger. While this isn’t new information – after all, Jim Farley himself tweeted about the Ranger Raptor earlier this year and the Bronco Raptor is currently being driven in California – it is neat to learn the truck has shown up on the company’s build-and-price tool Down Under.
There’s a less-than-zero chance Ford will offer the 2.0-liter diesel, available in other markets, in North America, but the 3.0L EcoBoost which pops up in overseas Ranger Raptors will be found stateside. As essentially the same setup found in the Bronco Raptor, suggested figures of 392 horsepower and 430 lb-ft of torque are well within reason. History teaches us there must be a pecking order in Dearborn – the F-150 Raptor makes 450 hp and the Bronco Raptor pumps out 418 ponies. Still, roughly four hundred horses in a mid-size pickup truck is hardly a trifle; our friend Sajeev makes do with 143.
Back at the Aussie build-and-price, we find further confirmation of FOX-branded 2.5-inch live valve internal bypass shock absorbers, electronic front and rear lockers, a yaffle of drive modes, and optional beadlock-capable wheels. The latter are wrapped in meaty 285-section BFGoodrich KO2 tires, the weapon of choice for many of these types of applications both from the factory and in the aftermarket.
Inside we see a large tablet-style infotainment screen in the center stack, a unit that drags the Ranger’s interior kicking and screaming into the present day. A fully digital screen fronts a typical Ford-style steering wheel, while a phalanx of buttons for off-road toys like downhill descent control and trail driving assist pepper the center console just aft of the gear selector. With the Blue Oval having figured out how to incorporate a ‘rear dig’ (the so-called Trail Turn Assist which locks one rear wheel at uber-low off-road speeds to aid with tight turning) on the Bronco, one wonders if that type of toy will make it onto machines like the Ranger as well. We hope so.
The next Ranger Raptor is shown as having a release date of August 2022 in the Land Down Under. Expect it on these shores not too many months after that time.
[Images: Ford]
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Why? I’m guessing the Raptor version would do no better than the F-150 Raptor when it comes to jumping.
Me? I’d rather see an EV Maverick version instead.
I think a hotted up Maverick EV wearing a Lightning badge would be awesome. Make it a sport tilted unit, too.
@Vulpine–A Maverick EV would be great. I wish my hybrid Maverick were a plug in but I am very happy with it especially getting between 45 to 50 mpgs better than I expected. Very smooth riding and very comfortable for a small truck.
In international markets, the Ranger is the right size for this application.
In terms of the US market, there are just some trails where a mid-size truck is better than a super wide Baja style truck like the Raptor.
Then you have ease of driving on public roads, likely lower fuel bills and overall costs in buying and owning.
Plus this truck is a step up to the Chevy Colorado ZR2 and Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro. Ford throwing a Raptor version of the Ranger puts them back in the spotlight in the mid-sized class.
Plus you are also likely to get your wish of a EV Maverick in the future. Heck, Ford will likely make a Raptor version of that too.
If Ford would have had a Ranger Raptor available this year, it may have been my preferred purchase. I’m betting that when these show up we’ll see some outrageous dealer markups.
@Lou_BC–I am sure when the Ranger Raptor comes out there will be a long long wait like the Bronco and the Maverick. If you wouldn’t have gotten the diesel Colorado it might have been worth the wait for you. With the supply chain issues it will take years to get back to normal. It is going to take me around 8 months for my new home to be built but with the interest rates going up I am thinking of selling my current house sooner and just renting near my new home even though the rents are high. Still see under stocked shelves at the grocery store and higher prices.
I was at the point where waiting for 2023’s was on the table. With 2.18/litre fuel, the diesel Colorado has become a hot commodity.
I remember Lou when you had the GMC van and you bought your 2010 F-150 that doesn’t seem that long ago but 12 years goes by fast.
@Jeff S – great memory. I’m kinda sad to see the F150 go. My 2 sons quite literally grew up in and around that thing and both learned to drive in it. If I don’t get a decent trade in value, I’ll hang on to it for a little bit.
I love Diesels and their power and fuel economy.
But. Now they are so choked off with plumbing and DEF ed that it doesnt make sense. Gas is the way.
@Redapple
I considered the diesel Colorado more for the power characteristics and the type of driving I intended to do. It also was less problematic than the V6 and crappy 8 speed.
Other than a few minor early run emmisions issues (DEF injector and DEF pump), I could not find much in the way of problems with the little diesel and transmission.
Better fuel range/economy is just icing on the cake.
Looks really sweet, I’m worried about pricing however. A ’22 Ranger Tremor can approach 50k, will the new mid-size Raptor add another 3-4k or closer to 10k? I can’t wrap my head around a 55k Ford Ranger even in today’s schizophrenic economy.
Lemme guess, crew cab only? Would be more interested (in actually purchasing) in a Ranger hybrid…in a NON-crew-cab configuration.