Is the Ford Raptor a ‘Fit’ in England?
The distinctly American Ford Raptor wasn’t build for tiny British roads. But that doesn’t mean they can’t enjoy it just the same!
British folks can’t just waltz on down to their local dealership and buy a new Ford Raptor. And honestly, you can’t blame Ford for not offering its massive, country wide off-roader there. After all, we’re talking about a land where gas prices are much higher and roads much narrower. It just isn’t practical to own a Raptor, let along any full-size pickup in England. But practicality never stopped anyone, now did it?
Thanks to London car dealer Clive Sutton, our British friends can get a right-hand drive Ford Raptor if they so desire. But even then, the question remains, does the mammoth off-roader actually “fit” in England? It’s a question Top Gear‘s Stephen Dobie set out to answer in a recent piece. And the answer? “It does. Just.” But there’s more to it than that, of course.
For the most part, Dobie loves the same things we appreciate about the Ford Raptor. Which, of course, includes the fact that the “V6 is more than torque-y enough to act the role of a V8.” And despite its off-road prowess and rowdy power, it remains “miraculously quiet and relaxing at a 70 mph cruise.” Still, it begs to be driven hard. “The faster and harder you go, the more sense it makes.”
Dobie found the Raptor to be quite enjoyable in two-wheel drive, surprisingly, calling it “irresistible boisterousness.” Despite its heft, he says “the way the Raptor lunges at the horizon in a low gear is laugh-out loud funny.” Overall, he found the truck “supremely practical,” yet “a toy of the most wondrously daft variety.”
Pretty much exactly how we feel about the Ford Raptor. Still, it’s nice to get confirmation that something so distinctly American can be so beloved in parts of the world it wasn’t even designed for!
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