Behind the wheel of the Ford Ranger Raptor: the super pick-up

Enthusiasts and those most connected with the world of pick-up vehicles will surely know the Raptor versions of the famous Ford F-150. In particular, the author of these lines has always felt a special devotion to cars like the Ford F-150 SVT Raptor presented in 2008, which I was able to try on a trip to the USA for the Detroit Motor Show. Or was it the SEMA Show? It matters little…

What matters is knowing that over there, a pick-up of this size, and even more so back then, was roughly what a compact SUV is here. And we are talking about a car that, in its SuperCrew version, for example, reached 6 metres in length, and was propelled by a 6.2-litre petrol V8 producing over 400 CV.

As you can imagine, the nearly 140 litres of petrol its fuel tank could hold didn’t last longer than a sweet at a school gate.

High performance off the tarmac

The aim when Ford presented the Raptor version of its popular F-150 was to offer a “truck” (that’s what they call them over there) with no rival when it came to extreme performance off the tarmac, one that you could even take into competitions such as the Baja 100 or the Dakar Series with barely any modifications. And they achieved it.

Now, Ford includes in its new range the Ford Ranger, the pick-up from the oval-badged brand that we can buy in our market, an interesting Ford Ranger Raptor version. And we have finally been able to get behind the wheel.

Its approach is perhaps not as extreme as that of the first American “Raptor”. But the result still surprises us. I’ll tell you upfront that there is no other pick-up on the market, nor can I think of any 4×4 right now (and I’ve been racking my brains for a while) that offers the efficiency and robustness of this Ford Ranger Raptor when driven to the limit off the tarmac.

And if we add that, moreover, it maintains a comfort and refinement in normal driving that you wouldn’t expect given its imposing 4×4 looks or when driven very fast over very broken tracks, then we can indeed say that the Ranger Raptor is a unique vehicle.

In Spain, at current prices according to the brand’s online configurator, the Ford Ranger Raptor starts at 45,880 euros in its basic version. A very competitive price, considering there is no other identical pick-up on the market. Let’s see why.

A pick-up for extreme off-road use

First we’ll go over the technical characteristics of one of the few pick-ups we have tested capable of turning heads; not long ago something similar happened with the road test of the Mercedes Class X 350d. But the Ranger Raptor is on another level. Nobody can resist its powerful look, although they may not know that what lies beneath its spectacular bodywork is not just appearance.

Compared with the rest of the Ford Ranger range, the Raptor has a body length of 5,374 mm, about 50 mm more than the Ranger Double Cab. Proportionally, the width is much greater, 2,028 mm, with an overall height of 1,873 mm. The design of the bumpers, grille and side steps changes. It can be ordered with special body colours in blue and grey tones.

And now the good part: 283 mm of ground clearance and a wading depth of 850 mm (5 cm more than the Ranger), with very favourable approach-departure figures: 32.5 degrees of approach angle and 24 of departure. Its towing capacity is 2,500 kg, roughly what the Raptor itself weighs, which comes to 2,510 kg kerb weight.

The underbody protection plate is made of high-strength steel and is 60% thicker than standard. In addition, the engine itself and the transfer case have specific armour plating. As you can see, it is well prepared to head into the wild…

Competition-grade suspension by FOX

But the Ford Ranger Raptor would not be what it is without the preparation it has undergone in terms of chassis and suspension. The former receives all kinds of reinforcement with ultra-high-strength steel. As for the suspension, the front deformable parallelogram uses aluminium arms, and the leaf springs of the rear axle are replaced by coil springs.

And we come to the truly differentiating point of the Ranger Raptor: the high-performance FOX shock absorbers fitted to this pick-up, which you will only find on the Raptor, on some of the most exclusive custom builds… and, with minimal modifications, also on some competition car.

These are force-sensitive shock absorbers that react to the impacts the wheels receive when they hit potholes, generating more or less resistance depending on whether the wheel movements are gentler or sharper, depending on the terrain and how you drive. They offer 32% more travel at the front and 18% more at the rear axle than on a standard Ford Ranger.

To finish with the chassis, logically the Raptor’s brakes are also specific. Here, front discs of 332 mm diameter and 32 mm thickness are used, with two-piston calipers offering a 20% larger piston diameter compared with the standard Ranger. On the rear axle the discs have the same diameter, but the thickness is 24 mm.

As for the tyres, they are BF Goodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2, specially developed for this version of the Ford Ranger. They are fitted on 17-inch rims, sized 285/70. Their robust look and the tread blocks that extend up to the sidewalls make it clear they are designed to offer the best grip on any slippery terrain. But they make you wonder whether they will be suitable for tarmac… until you set off and find that what BF Goodrich says in its specification sheet (50% road, 50% off-road use) is there for a reason.

2.0 Ecoblue 213 CV engine and 10-speed gearbox

And when you do, on the one hand you miss the deep roar of the V8 of that American Raptor… and you are glad that under the bonnet, the “European” Ranger is fitted with a turbodiesel engine.

It is no ordinary engine. It is the 2.0 Ecoblue with twin turbochargers and a power output of 213 CV, capable of producing a maximum torque of 500 Nm. More than enough thrust for any situation, on and off the tarmac. Coupled to a ten-speed automatic gearbox and all-wheel drive (switchable type, with a low-range transfer case and a lockable rear differential), the 4-cylinder turbodiesel allows the Raptor Ranger to reach a top speed of 170 km/h, with 0 to 100 km/h acceleration in 10.5 seconds.

Size is no limitation when driving the Ford Ranger Raptor, not even in town. You get used to it quickly, and the engine and gearbox surprise with their smoothness: you expect a sharper response to the accelerator, and also in the shifts between gears. You can let the automatic gearbox work according to the chosen mode, or change gear using the large titanium paddle shifters behind the steering wheel.

By the way, the first time you get into the Ranger Raptor’s cabin, the presentation and finish level surprise you, with imposing sports seats and the latest in comfort, safety and multimedia features. Certainly, nothing suggests you are about to drive a pick-up, a type of vehicle supposedly intended for hard work. But pick-ups are no longer what they used to be.

We reached a stretch of motorway and another surprise: for the tyres it runs on and the type of vehicle it is, the cabin noise is very well contained. It also turns out to be a little more precise and agile than expected when cornering on roads with bends, thanks mainly to the body not rolling too much. The FOX damping surely has a lot to do with that, but so does the new roll reduction function included in the stability control.

And finally the tarmac ends. I know it’s going to be a short route, but my only concern is whether I’ll get to enjoy the “Baja Mode” of the new traction management system. A programme that adjusts the response of all the car’s systems for truly high-speed off-road performance. Hence its name, inspired by the Baja Desert Rally.

The other modes, normal and sport, have already shown they perform well on the road.
And to try the specific grass/gravel/snow modes (slippery surfaces), the mud/sand mode, the rock mode or the hill descent control, there will be time another day.

Furthermore, at the Terra Pods area, set up so that attendees at the Starlite Festival –for which the Raptor is the official car– can see the latest from Ford, we have already had a first hands-on with the Ranger Raptor’s ability to overcome all kinds of obstacles. Exercises that surprise those who have never driven a 4×4 (ramps, bridge crossings, etc.), but which any version of the Ranger range would also pass with flying colours, not least.

However, after driving the Raptor over a very broken stretch, with the confidence given by the Ford managers accompanying us during the test encouraging us to find its limits, the conclusion is clear. Apart from some car with a safety cage and stickers on the doors, I have not driven another vehicle off the tarmac with a similar capacity to swallow XXL-sized potholes and keep responding precisely at the wheel, regardless of speed and whatever passes beneath the wheels.

All this, which you are surely wondering about, we finished the day with an average consumption on the trip computer of around 15 l/100 km. It may seem a lot, but I assure you it isn’t, for the size and weight of the car, and for the kind of driving we subjected it to during the test.

A few months before testing the new Ranger Raptor, I had the chance to relive old times driving precisely an American F-150 SVT Raptor. And without demanding even a third of what the new Ranger Raptor gave, it returned an average consumption of more than 25 l/100 km.

“Yes, but… how good does the V8 sound?”, comforted its proud owner and good friend, with a grin from ear to ear as the pump hose sent petrol into the tank.

Image gallery Ford Ranger Raptor