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New Ford Ranger Raptor Drag Races V6 Diesel and I4 Diesel, Smokes Them Both

In the olden days, Raptor used to mean one thing. I’m not that old to be talking about dinosaurs, but the first half-ton pickup to receive this designation. Known as the Lobo Raptor in Mexico, the F-150 Raptor launched for the 2010 model year with free-breathing V8s.
2024 Ford Ranger Raptor drag races V6 diesel and I4 diesel Ranger trucks 29 photos
Photo: CarExpert on YouTube / edited by autoevolution
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More than a decade later, the Raptor soldiers on with a choice of twin-turbocharged V6 or the supercharged V8 of the now-discontinued Mustang Shelby GT500. For the 2019 model year, the Ford Motor Company introduced a Raptor version of the Ranger. It was never sold in the U.S. of A., for it’s based on the global version of the Ranger.

That’s going to change for the 2024 model year, when the Ranger will be refashioned on the T6.2 platform for the U.S. market. Already on sale in global markets, the 2023-soon-to-be-2024 Ford Ranger Raptor is a different animal from its predecessor where it matters. Instead of a bi-turbo diesel four-cylinder mill advertised under the EcoBlue handle, the second-generation Ranger Raptor packs the 3.0-liter EcoBoost of the Bronco Raptor.

Pictured in Conquer Grey spelled the British way, the pickup in the clip below doesn’t feature launch control. Nor do its two rivals, coming in the form of the V6 diesel-engined Ranger Wildtrak and I4 diesel-engined Ranger Wildtrak. All three boast 10-speed automatic trannies.

The Australia-spec Ranger Raptor isn’t as powerful or torquey as the Bronco Raptor, and the European specification isn’t as powerful as the Australian variant due to emission regulations. In this application, the six-cylinder gasser produces 392 horsepower and 430 pound-feet (583 Nm) of torque. Although it features a similar displacement and layout, the V6 in the Ranger Wiltrak is a single-turbo affair that runs on diesel. It’s tuned to belt out 247 ponies and 443 pound-feet (600 Nm) of twist.

As for the four-cylinder turbo diesel, the 2.0-liter EcoBlue of the other Ranger Wildtrak cranks out a hugely impressive 207 horsepower and 369 pound-feet (500 Nm) in bi-turbo flavor. Given these numbers, it’s pretty clear which of these mid-size pickups is faster in a drag race.

If you’re the kind of person that likes to geek out a little more than that, bear in mind that all three flaunt all-terrain rubber boots. The Raptor is running a set of BFG KO2s, and the Wildtraks rock Goodyear Wrangler Territories.

Geekier still, the power-to-weight ratio of the Raptor is understandably better than both competitors. According to CarExpert’s Paul Maric, the Raptor is rated at 120.6 kilowatts per tonne or 161.7 ponies per 2,205 pounds.

After duking it out as a trio, the Ranger Raptor takes not one, not two, but six acceleration tests. The best time Paul squeezed out of this bone-stock pickup is 5.8 seconds to 100 kilometers per hour (62 miles per hour) in Baja mode, with stability control off, and the transfer case in 4H. For his best run, he had to brake torque before launching because the Ranger Raptor doesn’t have launch control.

Last but finally not least, 9.3 seconds in the eighth mile and 14.3 seconds in the quarter mile on a somewhat damp and unprepped surface is very impressive for a truck designed to bash dunes instead of hitting the drag strip.

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About the author: Mircea Panait
Mircea Panait profile photo

After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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