With 405 horsepower and the name cred of its big brother, the new Ranger Raptor has some real potential.
If there’s one thing the North American continent loves– it’s pickup trucks. With pickup sales on the rise and showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon, it’s a fact that Americans don’t want to give them up. As the popularity around utilitarian style vehicles grows– Ford wanted to capitalize as being one of the pioneers of the industry with the introduction of the F-150 Raptor over a decade ago. Sporting a baja-oriented physique, upgraded power, and brawny looks, it captivated the United States’ population in groves. Now it’s time for its younger brother to shine.
Banking on the revitalization of the smaller-sized truck market, more specifically the mid-sized sector, Ford has introduced its newest competitor in the ever so increasingly competitive segment. Dueling with the Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro as its biggest foe, the Ranger Raptor adds a new sense of depth into the mid-size truck market that could rejuvenate the brand as a whole.
The 2024 Ranger Raptor Finally Makes It Stateside
Featured in the land down under for years now, the Ranger Raptor finally clears US Customs and makes its way into the Land of the Free. Featuring a twin-turbo V6 that spurts out 405 horsepower and 430 pound-feet of torque, Ford didn’t skimp out on any power at all. Following in the footsteps of its older brothers: the F-150 Raptor and the Bronco Raptor, the Ranger parallels many of their traits and tries to emulate them itself.
The new Ranger attempts to take much of its inspiration from the Bronco Raptor, a newly released variant just a couple years ago. The EcoBoost V6 used in the Ranger comes straight from the Bronco– albeit detuned and depowered, the six-cylinder powertrain has been heralded for some time now. The Ranger Raptor also shares its crawl ratio with the high-powered Bronco– 67.88:1. Ford says the new Ranger is meant for use on all terrains, not just sand and dirt. The brand touts its powertrain as being capable of conquering mud, gravel, asphalt, and anything else the world throws at it.
Ford’s Been Toppin’ Our Charts Lately
The Raptor line in general has shifted slowly over its lifespan from being tunnel-visioned on being baja-focused to now an all-around vehicle with plenty of upgrades to become an all-around car. For example, the Bronco introduced the use of GOAT modes– an aptly named acronym for “Go Over Any Terrain”, a philosophy which has made its way into the new Ranger.
New Truck, New Suspension
More than anything, the most tantalizing parts of the new Ranger come with its revamped suspension. With its time in the demanding Australian Outback for over five years, the Ranger has learned some things. Namely, the perfect way to set up a suspension for anything that it could come across. The Ranger Raptor features a brand new purpose-built suspension that includes lightweight materials and long travel rear shocks.
The new suspension will be made out of aluminum, an upgrade from the Australian based Ranger which featured high-alloy steel as its base. The Raptor package also adds a Watts linkage as well as FOX 2.5 inch bypass shocks which allow the truck to take jumps and bumps a lot smoother and safer than other trucks in its class. Ford also took the liberty of beefing up the front frame, shock towers, and rear shock brackets in order for the truck to be punished even more under grueling conditions. Fitted underneath the new jacked suspension are 33-inch BFGoodrich All-Terrain KO3s perched on top of 17-inch wheels that can be optioned in with beadlocks. Not a bad look if you ask us.
The New Ranger Raptor Is Off-Road Built With a Plethora of Goodies
By bearing the Raptor nameplate, the new Ranger must have a sense of off-roading lineage among itself. The nameplate comes from a strong pedigree of off-roading and baja excellence by Ford who pioneered the mass-consumer baja truck in 2010 with the F-150 Raptor. Now, it’s the Ranger’s turn.
Competing in an increasingly competitive space marked by industry staples like the Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 and the Jeep Gladiator, Ford needed to make the Ranger at least on par with what the standard is. That includes an X-pipe exhaust, Trail Control, and Trail Turn assist. The Ranger doesn’t come with a bumper that supports a winch, but Ford is banking on the fact that the Ranger can handle anything– including quicksand.
