Ford Ranger Raptor Debuts!!! (U.S.-Bound in 2023)
The new Ford Ranger will be getting the full Raptor treatment with more power and all the off-road hardware you would expect.
With the global reveal of the Ford Ranger Raptor, we learned some very exciting news. While Ford unveiled the Ranger Raptor destined for sale outside of the United States, Ford CEO Jim Farley confirmed that the off-road focused model will be coming to U.S. showrooms in 2023. While we don’t know the exact specifications of the U.S. version, we do know that it will be awesome. It will be in great demand. And if you were not already bugging your local Ford dealer for a Bronco or a Lightning then you better start bugging them now for the Ranger Raptor.
For now, all we know for sure is that the hot Ford Ranger will be coming to the U.S. That makes us very happy. The equipment and power levels that were revealed for the rest of the world may be adjusted for the U.S. launch. However, it should not vary by all that much and based on what we saw from the global reveal this is going to be a truck worth waiting for.
Ranger Raptor Powertrain
The Ranger Raptor is going to be powered by a 3.0L twin-turbo V6 EcoBoost engine connected to a 10-speed automatic transmission. Power output is expected to be 392 horsepower and 430 pound-feet of torque. These numbers may shift upon official U.S. release but will likely stay below the output of the Bronco Raptor and of course the F-150 Raptor. Still, around 400 horsepower in the Ranger should get the job done just fine.
Ranger Raptor Off-Road Gear
Whatever the final power figure ends up being, it will be sent to all four wheels and the two-speed transfer case has front and rear locking differentials. The Ranger Raptor will also come with Fox 2.5-inch live valve internal bypass shock absorbers. Several selectable drive modes will be available: Normal, Sport, Slippery, Mud/Ruts, Sand, Baja, and Rock Crawl. There will also be selectable steering, damper, and exhaust modes. The four exhaust modes will be: Quiet, Normal, Sport, and Baja. The truck in the release videos and photos ride on 33-inch BF Goodrich K02 all-terrain tires on 17-inch bead-lock-capable wheels. That will likely be an upgrade package available. Water wading depth is expected to be about 33.5 inches.
Ranger Raptor Exterior Design
FORD. You will see those letters spelled out on the front grille like other Ford Raptor models. LED headlights and fog lights will be standard. A front skid plate is also included. Out back there is a new rear bumper and LED taillights. Down the side of the truck are black powder coated aluminum side steps, wheel arch extensions and functional fender vents. From the outside the truck looks like a 7/8 scale F-150 Raptor.
Ranger Raptor Interior
The inside of the new Ranger is a significant improvement over the current model and the Raptor takes it even further. There is a 12-inch center mounted portrait touchscreen with SYNC 4A which delivers wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Directly in front of the driver is a 12.4-inch customizable digital cluster. The Rpator has performance seats all around with perimeter striping, seat halo “Raptor” Logo and “Code Orange” accent color stitching.
European and South African Premier
The videos below are from the Ford News Europe and Ford South Africa YouTube channels. They contain the first footage of the new Ranger Raptor doing all the Raptor things. It is very exciting to know that these will be headed Stateside. It is also exciting to see the Raptor brand offerings continuing to expand. What is not exciting is the wait. We have to now sit back and wait for the official U.S. reveal and specifications. But based on what we just saw rolled out to the rest of the world, the wait will be well worth it.
Images: Ford
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