Global Raptor chief demands more tuning, but says Aussie-developed super-ute will be a smash-hit both here and the US
Just months from its launch, the global Ford executive responsible for the Raptor sub-brand says the Aussie-engineered 2022 Ford Ranger Raptor requires further fine-tuning before being signed off.
But Ali Jammoul, Ford’s global vehicle director for vehicle programs, Icons and Ford Performance, says the new Ranger Raptor remains true to the brand and predicts it will be a smash-hit in the US.
“The Ranger Raptor does certainly meet the brand DNA,” he told carsales just hours after driving a prototype version of the twin-turbo petrol V6-powered super-ute at an off-road test centre in South Australia for the first time.
“There are some things we want to make it even better and more fun and that’s the reason I am here.
“I am here to help the team to really get it to a point where it is perfect.”
The second-generation Ford Ranger Raptor will go on sale in Australia in July 2022 – one month after the new-generation Ford Ranger on which it’s based and about one year ahead of both models being rolled out in North America.
Jammoul said Ranger Raptor’s on-road (bitumen) driving behaviour still needed some fine-tuning. The vehicle adopts Fox ‘Live Valve’ driver-adjustable shock absorbers for its second generation.
“I think we can do a little bit better to make it have a better feel on the road,” he explained. “These are off-road vehicles; they are perfect off-road and they do very well, and they are very capable.
“The architecture helps make them that capable. But the architecture and the technology we are putting in there, especially the shocks and the damping system – the electronic part of it – we can make it perfect on road as well.
“So you can have great cruising vehicle on the road and also you can go off-road and the vehicle will be unbelievably capable.”
Jammoul confirmed that the new Ranger Raptor’s final tuning would also differentiate between different countries.
“Certain markets could be a bit more on the sporty feel and the sporty DNA and other markets could be more on the desert-like capability and… more comfort of ride on-road. You can do that.”
While Jammoul didn’t specifically mention it, carsales is aware Ford is thinking about an on-road tyre for the Ranger Raptor alongside the standard BF Goodrich K02 rubber.
The MkII Ford Ranger Raptor will join the F-150 Raptor and the new Bronco Raptor on sale in North America and Jammoul was confident it would gain a solid audience of its own.
“I think they will love it. I think it is great,” he said. “Frankly I think it’s going to hit the market really, really well.
“Every [Raptor] vehicle has its own character, its own segment, its own customer, and I really think there’s not going to be any cannibalisation between these vehicles.
“F-150 is the biggest seller and probably the Northstar for us in terms of capability. Right now we are launching the Bronco Raptor and it looks great. Now I cannot wait for Ranger Raptor to get out there as well.”
Ford Australia last week confirmed it will launch the new F-150 in mid-2023, but neither the F-150 Raptor, F-150 Lightning, Bronco Raptor nor F-250 are scheduled for local release, although RMA’s new local right-hand drive conversion facility makes all of those models plausible opportunities for Ford in the future.
“You never know what the future might bring,” Jammoul said. “There are no plans right now.”
Jammoul also downplayed the significance, in terms of its potential local introduction, of an F-150 Raptor being tested at the South Australian test track.
“This is a global team, we work together every day,” he said.
“They benchmark, we compare, we contrast and for Raptor DNA, the F-150 is the Northstar and everyone is gonna aspire to be like that.”
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Keyword: New Ford Ranger Raptor will be ‘perfect’ off-road and on