Ranger Raptor Takes to the Skies: Freaky Friday

Ranger Raptor handles a jump just as well as the off-road-ready F-150 with the same name.

The Ford Ranger Raptor was introduced to offer factory-built, off-road capabilities in markets where the F-150 Raptor is not offered. For instance, Australian Ford truck fans who spend their weekends off-roading cannot buy an F-150 Raptor because America’s most popular pickup is not offered Down Under. For years, Aussie Ford fans have been beefing-up the Ranger, but with the arrival of the Ranger Raptor, markets without the F-150 can enjoy similar stock off-roading capabilities.

For example, the Ford F-150 Raptor has often been marketing jump over sand dunes and other natural ramps. This video from the YouTube channel of Nic Hopson shows that the smaller Raptor can comfortably take to the skies as well.

Ranger Raptor Details

The Ford Ranger Raptor that is sold in various markets including Australia starts off as a typical Ranger, but the Raptor package mimics that of the F-150, adding unique features inside and out. Unlike the F-150, the off-road Ranger does not feature EcoBoost power, instead relying on a 2.0-liter turbo diesel that delivers 213 horsepower and 368 lb-ft of torque. This package does, however, share a similar 10-speed automatic transmission and an advanced four-wheel-drive system.

Where the Ranger Raptor is most like the F-150 Raptor and less like other Rangers is in the underpinnings. This package features Fox Racing shocks, unique springs, an electronic locking rear axle, 17-inch BF Goodrich All-Terrain tires on package-specific wheels and underbody protection panels. Strong tires, steel panels protecting the engine and suspension bits made by an off-road racing company. On paper, it seems like a Ranger that was made to fly through the air and slam down without breaking a sweat, but is that the case in the real world?

Hitting the Jump

The video begins with the Ranger Raptor speeding away from the camera across some dry grass, making a tight turn around some foliage and rushing back towards the camera. As the midsized Ford pickup passes the camera, the driver accelerates, hitting a rise in the dirt that serves as a small jump. The truck pops up into the air, getting a surprisingly amount of hang time for a small ramp, landing smoothly and heading off into the distance as the video ends.

Sure, this isn’t the biggest jump, but the ease with which the Ranger Raptor handles the hang time shows the similarities between itself and the larger F-150 Raptor.

Crank up your speakers and enjoy!

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Patrick Rall

"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.

"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.

"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.

"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.

"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.

"Being based on Detroit," says Rall, "I never miss the North American International Auto Show, the Woodward Dream Cruise and Roadkill Nights, along with spending plenty of time raising hell on Detroit's Woodward Avenue with the best muscle car crowd in the world.

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