2018 Ford Ranger Raptor unleashed

The first-ever Ranger Raptor, Ford’s latest off-road, performance pick-up truck, blasted out from behind its camouflage during a reveal event in Thailand today.

Designed by Ford Performance team for the enthusiast off-roader, the Ranger Raptor is the second Ford pick up to adopt the Raptor nameplate after the flagship F-150.

Strengthening the Ranger’s go anywhere credentials are a series of upgrades to the exterior including a frame mounted front-bumper with new LED fog lamps with functional air-curtain ducts, which help to reduce air resistance of the body.

Larger wheel fenders resist dents and dings often associated with off-road usage, while the step boards were designed specifically to prevent rock spray from hitting the rear of the truck and the holes have been designed to drain sand, mud and snow.

At the rear, a modified rear bumper comes with an integrated tow bar and two recovery hooks rated at 3.8 tonnes. Updated styling to the rear includes flush sensor bezels and specially packaged and styled tow connectors.

When getting behind the wheel, Ranger Raptor drivers will notice the detailed cockpit differences, including the blue stitching and leather accents. The cluster has aggressive styling, encompassing a host of Driver Assist features. The steering wheel is has a ‘On-centre’ marker – a red stripe at the top-middle of the wheel to let you know where the centre is when operating the vehicle at high speed. Magnesium paddle shifters have also been incorporated into the wheel.

Power comes from a new 2.0L Bi-Turbo diesel engine delivering a maximum of 213PS (157kW) of power and 500Nm of torque. All-terrain BF Goodrich 285/70 R17 tyres have been specially developed for the Ranger Raptor. As for the brakes, the Raptor features larger twin-piston calipers at the front acting on larger rotors and larger single piston calipers at the rear.

The Ford Ranger Raptor is under review for the Australian market.