Twin-turbo V6 petrol a ‘better fit’; Ford ‘not interested’ in so-called Raptor rivals
FORD has quashed criticism that the 2.0-litre biturbo engine fitted to its outgoing Ranger Raptor was insufficient considering the price and performance claims asked of its highly sought-after outgoing model.
The Detroit-based company announced last night that it would offer a 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged V6 petrol engine under the bonnet of its forthcoming Ranger Raptor, again differentiating it from other light commercial utilities.
Speaking to journalists gathered for the online unveiling of the model overnight, Ford Ranger Raptor program supervisor Justin Capicchiano said the new V6 engine further separated Ford’s hard-charging ute from its aspiring competitors, adding that the company is “not interested” in benchmarking the Ranger Raptor against offerings from so-called rivals.
“Is there a genuine Raptor competitor? I’m not necessarily sure that there is,” Mr Capicchiano said.
“I think we’re aware of how our vehicle stacks up as part of the Ford Performance lineup, and ultimately the way we work and tie in with the US team around the F-150 Raptor and Bronco Raptor, and how we stay on par with their offerings and making sure that we’re being consistent with how we’re applying that DNA across our vehicle line, is fundamentally what we’re looking at.
“We’re not looking backwards. We’re not looking at what Toyota or Nissan are doing. We’re not interested. We believe we’ve got a very strong product on its own that meets and exceeds the DNA in many different categories,” he asserted.
Mr Capicchiano said that globally, the Raptor program had formed its own set of metrics by which capability and performance were measured, and that provided a model met these strict criteria, it was certain to get the tick of approval from the brand’s loyal customer base.
“From our perspective, it was about making sure that what we are producing had visibility within the North American team… and that the car’s characteristics and character met that DNA – and that it was going to be fundamentally something that would be recognised as a Ford Performance product,” he insisted.
Ford Performance chief program engineer for Ranger Raptor Dave Burn echoed his colleagues emphatic remarks, explaining that the powertrain offered in the outgoing Ranger Raptor was neither lacking in power or driveability.
Mr Burn said the new 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 petrol unit was made for customers wanted greater performance and capability from their Ranger Raptor, and not simply a matter of shoehorning the largest engine in the catalogue under the Ranger’s bonnet.
“When we launched the (original Ranger Raptor) car, I don’t think we found anyone who ever drove the car that felt like they weren’t having fun while driving it. The biturbo diesel have that car plenty of shove for what it needed,” he said.
“(But), I think what we learned as we were going through it (the Ranger Raptor program) is that customers loved every ounce of that car and we sold thousands of them, but they wanted a little bit more – and that little bit more that they wanted was not just from the powertrain, but they also wanted a little bit more capability, and a little bit more performance.
“So, it wasn’t a matter of us saying ‘let’s just pick the biggest weapon that we’ve got and put that under the bonnet’. It was about making sure that the package worked together as a holistic opportunity. The V6 twin-turbo engine is an evolution of that mantra of listening to what your customers are saying and taking the feedback and turning it into a new product,” he added.
Ford Australia has yet to reveal the specifications of its new petrol-powered Ranger Raptor, stating simply that the model will offer “nearly twice” the power output of the current model.
The 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged EcoBoost V6 found under the bonnet of the Ranger Raptor will not be shared with any other variant in the next-gen Ranger line-up, which will again offer the 2.0-litre biturbo diesel found in the current range, as well as the addition of a powerful 3.0-litre V6 turbo-diesel.
GoAuto News understands the 3.0-litre EcoBoost twin-turbo petrol unit powering the Ranger Raptor could offer up to 368kW and 854Nm, a significant uptick over the current Ranger Raptor’s 157kW and 500Nm offering, but has been tuned to offer 292kW and 583Nm in the latest Ranger Raptor.
The former biturbo diesel engine will continue to be offered in Ranger Raptor models in other markets, Mr Capicchiano saying the unit will provide an important role in ensuring the dual-cab utility serves the ownership requirements of those for whom a petrol-powered model is unfeasible.
“Clearly there are many markets where cost of ownership is a prime consideration, and certainly the diesel variant meets many tax thresholds as with as well as providing a greater cost of ownership (proposition) for those markets,” Mr Capicchiano said.
“That’s why it will continue manufacturing the diesel in conjunction with the performance petrol variant.”
Keyword: Ford defends outgoing Raptor’s driveline