Blue Oval’s new supertruck doubles its power output to deliver hot hatch 0-100km/h pace – on dirt
The ground-breaking Aussie-developed Ford Ranger Raptor high-performance ute has doubled its power output and roughly halved the time it takes to accelerate to 100km/h thanks to its new 3.0-litre twin-turbo petrol V6.
Widely anticipated ahead of this evening’s global embargo lift, the 292kW/583Nm EcoBoost engine is identical to the unit found in the recently revealed Ford Bronco Raptor that will go on sale in the USA this year.
The engine, which drives only via a 10R60 10-speed auto, is the centrepiece of a wholesale overhaul of the Raptor, which is based on a reinforced version of T6 ladder frame architecture underpinning the new Ranger dual-cab and expected to go on sale in Australia in the third quarter of 2022.
The V6 will be the only engine available in the Raptor in Australia, although the existing model’s four-cylinder ‘Panther’ biturbo-diesel will continue in some markets – predominantly in Asia, where tax regimes favour that type of powerplant.
Designed and developed at Ford’s Victorian product development facilities and built in Thailand, the new Ranger Raptor will be sold in around 80 global markets.
Pricing is expected to go up from today’s $79,390 (plus on-roads) thanks to a host of upgrades that also include:
– Switching from part-time shift-on-the-fly 4×4 to a BorgWarner two-speed transfer case and torque-on-demand permanent 4×4
– Moving from passive to adaptive Fox Shox that can be controlled through an expanded and upgraded driver-selectable mode system including the unique race-oriented Baja mode
– Adding a lockable Dana front differential to its predecessor’s locking rear diff
– Swapping from hill descent control to an off-road low-speed cruise control called Trail Control
Likened to a transition from warm ST to stoking hot RS-spec in terms of its performance, the new Raptor is claimed by the engineers who have developed it to have “hot-hatch” acceleration to 100km/h.
That equates to somewhere in the mid-5sec to mid-6sec range – on gravel. Like other outgoing Ranger models fitted with the same engine, the old 157kW/500Nm 2.0-litre diesel Raptor took 10.7sec to accelerate from rest to 100km/h.
The new Raptor is also claimed to be one minute quicker around Ford’s 10km off-road test loop at Loveday in South Australia than its predecessor.
“I am excited about this vehicle,” Raptor program supervisor Justin Capicchiano told a media briefing. “I am excited about the way it goes, the way it goes on- and off-road, and I can’t wait for you all to experience the absolutely crushing ability that this truck has off-road.
“It is so good.”
But it’s not all good news. In going for the petrol engine and not growing the fuel tank at all from the original’s 80 litres, Ford has substantially culled the driving range of the Raptor.
The official fuel consumption number isn’t available yet, but Capicchiano conceded the viable range would dip to around 500km (without being thrashed off-road), suggesting an average 16L/100km in the real world.
The current Raptor claims 8.2L/100km, but carsales has averaged 10.1L/100km on-test. Unlike the diesel the new engine does not get idle-stop, but it can run on the cheapest 91 RON unleaded.
There is no improvement to Raptor’s 714kg payload or 2500kg braked towing capacity. Kerb weight also sneaks up between 30kg and 80kg (dependant on market) from the current Raptor X’s 2376kg claim.
Top speed also only sneaks up 10km/h to 180km/h, dictated by the speed rating limit of the standard BFGoodrich K02 all-terrain rubber.
The 17-inch wheels also mean the size of the brake package has not grown for the new Ranger despite the huge lift in performance. However, Ford says the tuning of the ant-lock braking system has been extensively developed to improve its behaviour.
We’ve explored in detail Ford Performance’s rationale for swapping from diesel to petrol power for the Raptor in a separate story.
But basically it boils down to two factors; the money saved developing a powertrain in-concert with the Bronco Raptor, which is also based on the same T6 architecture as Ranger and Raptor, and the demand for more capability from Raptor buyers.
In Australian-spec, the EcoBoost V6 has slightly less power and torque than the Bronco Raptor but that’s purely down to different emissions testing protocols.
The DOHC 24-valve engine runs at a max 18.8psi boost and employs an anti-lag system in Baja mode that keeps the turbochargers spinning for up to three seconds after the driver lifts off the throttle to ensure rapid-fire response when the throttle is pressed again.
An active exhaust valve also enables the engine’s soundtrack to be tuned from ‘quiet’ mode all the way through to the most aggressive Baja system, which essentially turns the exhaust into a straight-through system. Ford says that’s for off-road use only but suspects not everyone will follow that advice.
The Fox Shox Live Valve Internal ByPass coil-over dampers are also adaptively controlled by the drive modes. From the same family as the units used in the Bronco Raptor and F-150 Raptor, they have been locally tuned with a narrower 2.5-inch bore (down from 3.0-inch).
The remote cannister shocks work with the familiar Raptor suspension set-up comprising a double wishbone front-end and live axle with coils and a Watts link at the rear.
Ford says the new shocks firm up and improve on-road behaviour while retaining off-road capability.
The new Raptor measures up 38mm shorter at 5360mm, 53mm taller at 1926mm and 28mm wider (including mirrors) at 2208mm, while the wheelbase extends 50mm to 3270mm. However, the 1710mm track widths are unchanged.
The wheels are encased in unique steel fenders front (previously composite) and rear. The bonnet is also specific to Raptor, but the doors, roof, tailgate and the size of the tray are identical to Ranger.
The F-O-R-D lettering has been emblazoned more boldly across the grille of the Raptor, which also features the distinctive new Ranger C-clamp headlights in the premium Matrix LED spec. Beadlock 17-inch wheels are optionally available.
The Raptor’s approach angle has reduced marginally from 32.5 to 32 degrees because of the shaping of the nose to suit the latest pedestrian protection rules.
The breakover and departure angle both remain unchanged at 24 degrees. Ground clearance dips about 11mm to 272mm because of the new transfer case.
Unique interior features include jet fighter-inspired sports seats both front and rear, a leather sports steering wheel with thumb swells, on-centre marking and cast-magnesium paddle shifters accents, plus trim accents in the Raptor’s new Code Orange hero colour on the instrument panel, trim and seats.
Features lifted directly from the new Ranger include a 12.4-inch digital instrument cluster and 12-inch centre touch-screen incorporating Ford’s SYNC 4 connectivity and entertainment system, which offers both Apple and Android wireless smartphone connectivity.
Compatible smartphones can be wirelessly charged via a pad at the base of the centre console and a Bang & Olufsen sound system is standard.
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Keyword: World debut: New Ford Ranger Raptor to bring crushing performance