The Next-Gen Ranger Raptor isn’t just significantly better than the model it replaces, it is significantly better than anything else on the market.
Some vehicles take a while to imprint themselves on their new owner – a subtle yet complex form of persuasion and companionship that builds slowly over time.
The all-new Ranger Raptor does not fit that description. It wears its turbo charged heart on its sleeve and grabs you by the youknowwhats for a wild ride.
On paper the Raptor looks mighty impressive; double the horsepower (yes double), uprated Fox suspension, active exhaust modes and the latest SYNC 4 infotainment. Basically, a shopping list of componentry that the late Ken Block may have put together.
However, it’s when you start the Raptor for the first time and a rather deep noise emanates from the twin pipes that you start to feel your neck hairs rise up on end. A push of the accelerator confirms one thing: This Raptor is eons away from the version it replaces, and that the term ‘performance bakkie’ has been emphatically rewritten.
While the previous Raptor held that mantle thanks mainly to its motorsport-inspired Fox suspension, wider body and Baja driving mode, its achilles heel was always the insipid 2.0-litre diesel motor. This blunted a lot of the Raptor’s underlying potential.
Suffice to say, the 3.0-litre twin-turbo petrol V6, adopted from the smaller F150, is a bona fide game changer. It feels every bit as strong as the 292kW, 583Nm suggest. Imagine Mustang levels of acceleration on a surface that’s constantly shifting and changing, such as the Namib desert.
It’s punchy yet silky at any RPM, and truly makes the most of every driving mode as well as the 10-speed gearbox. And despite the engine being the overriding sensation, it also raises and polishes every element of the new Raptor so that everything feels just that bit sharper or meatier in all the right places.
A short road section gave a little bit of time to look around the cabin, with our concentration slightly relaxed by the many driver assistance systems. This despite less-than-ideal road markings which were often obscured by sprinklings of sand. This includes adaptive cruise control and lane departure warning, cross traffic alert, blind spot monitoring and so forth. It’s almost worth reminding oneself that this is a bakkie and not some high-end luxury sedan.
The seats are more sculpted and all the new driving modes (like Baja, a unique R mode to store your favorite configuration and the exhaust settings) are neatly integrated into the same architecture as Next-Gen Ranger. Raptor also gains the largest digital instrument of the range, and the vivid graphics and animations are a big leap forward compared to the very monochromatic graphics that were a primary feature of SYNC 3. It now comfortably sets the benchmark for digital interaction and entertainment in the segment.
It is all incredibly slick and modern but still retains enough of the crucial buttons that bakkie owners generally trust and like. I can say this because on more than one occasion I managed to find the setting for the rear diff lock while surfing dunes with my arms crossed up in opposite lock.
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Core to the Raptor’s DNA is the uprated Fox suspension that adapts to the terrain to provide a smooth, confident ride. However low tire pressures throughout the launch meant we never got a chance to let it loose on tarmac, however it dispatched gravel and sand with great refinement. A more technical rock crawl section also highlighted the Raptor’s extra wheel travel compared to a standard Ranger. The only caveat is that the Raptor’s Watts-link rear setup means load carrying capacity is slightly compromised – again it’s a case of knowing your requirements, and how you envision your bakkie being used.
The Next-Gen Raptor hasn’t necessarily broadened its appeal, but it has finessed its existing traits by some margin. It remains unequaled and at R1 094 900 it’s a lot more Raptor, for not a lot more money. This could very well be an iconic car of the near future, and something of a much-needed halo and refreshed direction for a Ford Performance division that no longer rests on hot hatches.