Photo: Ford
Revealed in February with great pomp and circumstance, the first-ever Ranger Raptor still hasn’t entered production at the American company’s Rayong plant in Thailand. Confirmed for Australia and neighboring countries, the performance-oriented pickup truck is also coming to the United Kingdom.
Considering that Europe’s top-selling pickup also happens to be the Ranger, there’s no denying the Raptor will be available in this part of the world as well. Prototypes of the newcomer have been spied in the United States of America on numerous occasions, though it remains to be seen if the U.S.-spec workhorse will be built in Thailand or at the Michigan Assembly Plant in the city of Wayne.
The Ranger Raptor will cost from around £40,000 in the United Kingdom, putting it in the same pricing range as the Mercedes-Benz X-Class. And yes, this means the Focus RS is more affordable despite the fact it packs more suck-squeeze-bang-blow from the 2.3-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder powerplant. Coincidence or not, the downtuned version of this engine comes standard on the U.S.-spec Ranger.
While on the subject of internal combustion, both the Australian and European models rely on the 2.0-liter EcoBlue bi-turbo diesel. The four-cylinder lump is connected to a 10-speed automatic transmission we know form the F-150 and Mustang. As far as output is concerned, 213 PS (210 horsepower) and 500 Nm (369 pound-feet) should be enough even on rough terrain.
Drawing influence from the F-150 Raptor from America, the Ranger Raptor is the most attention-grabbing workhorse in a long, long time. In addition to the exterior makeover, the newcomer rides high thanks to the off-road tires and long-travel suspension. When things get serious, the bash plate fitted to the underchassis should protect the most vulnerable of mechanical parts, including the electronically controlled locking differential.
If Ford doesn’t float your boat, European customers in the market for a no-nonsense pickup can cross-shop from Arctic Trucks. Those are the guys who prepared the Toyota Hilux that got Top Gear’s presenters and film crew to the Magnetic North Pole.
The Ranger Raptor will cost from around £40,000 in the United Kingdom, putting it in the same pricing range as the Mercedes-Benz X-Class. And yes, this means the Focus RS is more affordable despite the fact it packs more suck-squeeze-bang-blow from the 2.3-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder powerplant. Coincidence or not, the downtuned version of this engine comes standard on the U.S.-spec Ranger.
While on the subject of internal combustion, both the Australian and European models rely on the 2.0-liter EcoBlue bi-turbo diesel. The four-cylinder lump is connected to a 10-speed automatic transmission we know form the F-150 and Mustang. As far as output is concerned, 213 PS (210 horsepower) and 500 Nm (369 pound-feet) should be enough even on rough terrain.
Drawing influence from the F-150 Raptor from America, the Ranger Raptor is the most attention-grabbing workhorse in a long, long time. In addition to the exterior makeover, the newcomer rides high thanks to the off-road tires and long-travel suspension. When things get serious, the bash plate fitted to the underchassis should protect the most vulnerable of mechanical parts, including the electronically controlled locking differential.
If Ford doesn’t float your boat, European customers in the market for a no-nonsense pickup can cross-shop from Arctic Trucks. Those are the guys who prepared the Toyota Hilux that got Top Gear’s presenters and film crew to the Magnetic North Pole.
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