The second-generation Ford Ranger Raptor has landed and what a bakkie it is.
To show off its new dune-destroying double cab at its best, the blue oval hosted media from around the world in beautiful Namibia where there’s no signal, no electricity, and no rules, the perfect setting.
Two days in the desert with the Raptor and it’s safe to say, no other bakkie currently on the market can compete with Ford Performance’s newest creation.
Ranger vs Raptor
In contrast to the first, the second-generation Ranger Raptor is much more than a beefed-up version of the standard bakkie. In fact, the only parts shared by the siblings include the doors, windows, and tailgate – the Raptor being 10mm longer, 13mm wider, and 40mm taller, its ground clearance trumping the tamer Ranger’s by 35mm.
The Raptor’s flanks are more squared off, too, it sits on muscular 17-inch wheels sheathed in BFGoodrich All-Terrain tyres, the bonnet incorporates functional air tunnels, a 2.3mm high-strength steel bash plate protects the front end, and the bumper is disconnected from the grille – itself featuring oversized FORD lettering – with all of this drawing attention to the purpose-built design and broad stance of the high-performance halo model.
Notably, the Raptor further sports an exclusive foundation, unlike its predecessor.
Where the first generation shared the 2.0-litre, bi-turbo diesel engine with the Everest and Ranger, the new one boasts a 3.0-litre, twin-turbo petrol power source rated for 292kW – just shy of double the old Raptor’s 157kW – and 583Nm, which none of its siblings have.
Additionally, the new bakkie has a 10-speed automatic transmission but don’t think it’s the same one as in the Wildtrak; as the Raptor’s shifter box, in line with its racing personality, is lighter.
Continuing its arsenal is a permanent four-wheel-drive system with two-wheel high, four-wheel high, four-wheel low, and four-wheel automatic settings, as well as front and rear diff locks. A new “Trail Control” feature is also fitted which is essentially cruise control for off-road up to 32km/h.
The icing on the cake, the bakkie gets upgraded, live valve, 2.5-inch Fox shocks that allows it to absorb heavy impacts, such as on the way down after catching some air, alongside an active exhaust system with four levels of noise.
The Raptor’s cabin resembles that of a standard Ranger more closely than its outer shell, with fewer but still instantly noticeable changes accounted for.
Among these are bespoke leather seats with Alcantara inserts, the shape of which took inspiration from fighter jet seats to supply comparable support when hurtling the bakkie through the wild, that are installed both at the front and rear, unlike the previous Raptor which had a standard bench in the second row.
This specific version of the Ranger is also the only one in the family to feature the upsized 12.4-inch digital driver’s cluster found on the Everest Platinum, as well as a Bang and Olufsen stereo.
A Raptor-exclusive steering wheel with grips sculpted in at the right place – 3 o’clock and 9 o’clock – is another highlight, featuring four buttons reserved only for this bakkie. These controls are neatly organised on the right side and enable adjustment of steering, suspension, exhaust modes, and the driver-customisable R button.
Living the Raptor life
The Raptor is perfectly catered to the adventurer’s lifestyle, Ford South Africa choosing a setting that allowed us to immerse ourselves in the bakkie’s natural habitat away from the tar roads where most of them will undoubtedly spend the majority of their lives.
We enjoyed the old model quite thoroughly and with certain expectations in mind, we got into the new one expecting to be satisfied, but not overwhelmed.
Barely a handful of kilometres into the Namibian dunes and it was clear the new Raptor is nothing like its predecessor, it’s far more powerful, responsive, and capable – which set the tone for the remaining two days to come.
Driving in thick sand is no walk in the park and we were eased into the adventure with small dunes and flat pans to familiarise ourselves with Ford’s new pride and joy.
It wasn’t long before the bakkie instilled a sense of confidence in its drivers and the convoy of no fewer than a dozen Raptors were hustling down the beach at freeway speeds.
Right from the get-go, the vehicle impressed with a sensitive throttle that was all too eager to unleash the oodles of power locked up beneath the bonnet. The new powertrain can conquer obstacles aplenty without having to push it into the red, a stark contrast to the old one which usually had to be turned up to eleven to enjoy the benefits of the Raptor badge.
The petrol-preferring setup was always ready to deliver more power at a moment’s notice, not once feeling like it didn’t have enough grunt to overcome the next roadblock. The bakkie is rapid, too. Ford does not provide an official 0-100km/h time but unofficial testing from down under where the media has had more time with the Raptor proved that it surpasses 100km/h in under 6 seconds on tar.
As we progressed, the day got evermore warmer and the obstacles tougher and tougher, but the Raptor didn’t let up.
The new suspension, which is now capable of reacting to turf conditions in real time, offers improved ride comfort over the outgoing generation on top of a wider breadth of capabilities.
One of the Ford spokesmen who played an integral part in the bakkie’s development explained that the dampers are calibrated to offer maximum off-road adaptability while still bringing on-road compliance, and while we didn’t get to fully experience the second part, we are inclined to say the first is spot on.
The dampers even sense when the bakkie is in the air and prime themselves for a smooth landing. This, we can also confirm, worked well.
Another hurdle reared its head in the form of a steep rocky climb on the outskirts of the sandy hills, and neither the Ranger nor its now-knowledgeable drivers batted an eye.
Two taps on the central screen and both diff locks were activated, and a flick of the switch on the steering wheel set Trail Control to a steady 5km/h, and we were off.
With a front-view and top-view camera on the dedicated off-road display offering unobstructed views of the surroundings and nothing to focus on but keeping the wheel straight, the Raptor made light work of a craggy mountain and reached the summit with no pauses in its stride.
Not every obstacle was scalable in one attempt, however, and every so often a Raptor was seen spinning its wheels on a particularly soft patch of sand, reversing down, and trying again. At the end of the day, though, all were vanquished with the feat being even more impressive given the wide skill gaps of the drivers.
Inside the cabin, the experience was equally painless and much more comfortable than what outside onlookers would have thought when looking at the intimidating obstacles. One minor concern though is the rubbery, rugged-look, soft-touch finishes on the window sills and dash which attract dirt and scuff marks like magnets. It remains to be seen if they will stay as attractive as they are after many years on the road.
In short, Ford’s new Raptor is insatiable and owners will be hard-pressed to find a piece of wilderness it can’t tame. Stay tuned to find out how the bakkie performs on the road when we test it more thoroughly later this year.
Ford Ranger Raptor launch
Keyword: Destroying dunes in the new Ford Ranger Raptor