Photo: Ford
Can you believe that approximately 80 percent of the UAE’s land area is desert? Inhospitable is how I would describe this dry place, but on the other hand, one could argue that it’s the perfect terrain for the Raptor.
Which Raptor? The Bronco-based model, of course! Ford Middle East has confirmed the Bronco Raptor for this part of the world, but as of February 12th, no pricing has been published. For reference, the U.S. model has been priced from $69,995, including the $1,495 destination and delivery charge.
Instead of a free-breathing V8, customers are offered a twin-turbo V6 with 400-plus horsepower on tap. The 3.0-liter EcoBoost definitely is an upgrade over the 2.7-liter EcoBoost. However, only time will tell if the torque rating will be adequate for this application. The 2.7 in lesser Broncos cranks out 415 lb-ft (563 Nm), while the 3.0 in the Explorer ST mirrors those figures.
Fitted with 37-inch rubber boots as standard, the Braptor also sweetens the deal with a fully-boxed steel frame that dons new shock towers designed to increase wheel travel. Upper body reinforcements increase the body-in-prime torsional rigidity by more than 50 percent over a four-door Bronco.
Fitted with a semi-float Dana 50 solid rear axle and upgraded half shafts for the Dana 44 independent front end, the dune-bashing utility vehicle boasts a minimum ground clearance of 13.1 inches (33.2 centimeters).
Wider front and rear tracks increase the width of the Braptor by 8.6 inches over a base configuration, namely 73.6 inches (186.9 centimeters) versus 65 inches (165 centimeters). An upgraded transfer case also needs to be highlighted, featuring a 3.06 low ratio for a 67.7:1 crawl ratio. Jeep isn’t really impressed by this figure because the available 4.88:1 axle ratio gives the manual-equipped Wrangler Rubicon Xtreme Recon a 100:1 crawl ratio.
“We poured all of our passion and all of our Bronco and Raptor know-how into creating this absolute desert-racing beast,” declared big kahuna Jim Farley a few weeks ago during the grand reveal. “It’s the real deal. It’s not for show and it’s not for everybody. But for people who love to get out in the wild, it’s the ultimate. And only Ford could create a Bronco Raptor.”
Instead of a free-breathing V8, customers are offered a twin-turbo V6 with 400-plus horsepower on tap. The 3.0-liter EcoBoost definitely is an upgrade over the 2.7-liter EcoBoost. However, only time will tell if the torque rating will be adequate for this application. The 2.7 in lesser Broncos cranks out 415 lb-ft (563 Nm), while the 3.0 in the Explorer ST mirrors those figures.
Fitted with 37-inch rubber boots as standard, the Braptor also sweetens the deal with a fully-boxed steel frame that dons new shock towers designed to increase wheel travel. Upper body reinforcements increase the body-in-prime torsional rigidity by more than 50 percent over a four-door Bronco.
Fitted with a semi-float Dana 50 solid rear axle and upgraded half shafts for the Dana 44 independent front end, the dune-bashing utility vehicle boasts a minimum ground clearance of 13.1 inches (33.2 centimeters).
Wider front and rear tracks increase the width of the Braptor by 8.6 inches over a base configuration, namely 73.6 inches (186.9 centimeters) versus 65 inches (165 centimeters). An upgraded transfer case also needs to be highlighted, featuring a 3.06 low ratio for a 67.7:1 crawl ratio. Jeep isn’t really impressed by this figure because the available 4.88:1 axle ratio gives the manual-equipped Wrangler Rubicon Xtreme Recon a 100:1 crawl ratio.
“We poured all of our passion and all of our Bronco and Raptor know-how into creating this absolute desert-racing beast,” declared big kahuna Jim Farley a few weeks ago during the grand reveal. “It’s the real deal. It’s not for show and it’s not for everybody. But for people who love to get out in the wild, it’s the ultimate. And only Ford could create a Bronco Raptor.”
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