Upington - Ford’s hotly anticipated Ranger Raptor has finally been launched in South Africa and putting one in your garage (or farm shed) is going to cost you R786 400
We are currently driving the Raptor on its local media launch in the Upington area so stay tuned for our driving impressions later in the week, but for now let’s take a look at some of the ins and outs.
Though not an outright performance machine, the Raptor was designed to tackle rough terrain at speed. Its heart is Ford’s brand new 2-litre twin-turbodiesel engine that was recently introduced into the facelifted Ranger line-up, and which produces 157kW and 500Nm.
But what actually sets it apart, besides the go-fast looks, is its badass chassis.
With a ground clearance of 283mm, the Raptor rides 46mm higher than regular Rangers, and it’s also kitted out with Fox Racing shock absorbers with Position Sensitive Damping as well as a new Watt’s linkage rear suspension with coilover springs.
Sitting snugly in the Raptor's widened fenders is a set of 17-inch wheels wearing beefy 285mm-wide BF Goodrich All-terrain tyres.
The Raptor also comes with a Terrain Management System, allowing drivers to choose between six modes: ‘Normal’, ‘Sport’, ‘Grass/Gravel/Snow’, ‘Mud/Sand’, ‘Rock’ and ‘Baja’. Yes, it’s got a Baha mode.
Racy cabin features include thickly bolstered front seats, upholstered in grippy ‘technical suede’, as well as blue stitching, unique leather accents and a bespoke steering wheel with magnesium paddle levers.
The Ranger Raptor is sold with a four-year/120 000km warranty and six-year/90 000km service plan.