Ford Ranger Raptor Is A Downsized, Ferocious And Diesel-Powered Sibling Of F-150 Off-Roader

by Brandon Hill — Wednesday, February 07, 2018, 12:40 PM EDT

Less than a month ago, we brought you news of the Ford Ranger's return after a long hiatus. Available in SuperCab and SuperCrew body styles, the Ranger features a 2.3-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder gasoline engine and will go up against the likes of the Chevrolet Colorado and Toyota Tacoma. However, Ford has an even "hotter" variant that is incoming: the Ranger Raptor.

If you're already familiar with the F-150 Raptor, then you know the basic formula that makes up the Ranger Raptor counterpart. The bulging fenders and in-your-face grille with the oversized FORD logo are clearly inspired by the F-150 Raptor. The truck sits 74 inches tall and its minimum ground clearance has been jacked up to over 11 inches. And since off-roading is what the Ranger Raptor was designed for, it features 32.5-inch approach, 24-degree ramp over, and 24-degree departure angles. That's not bad for a truck that measures over 213 inches long.

Whereas the F-150 Raptor gets its motivation from a 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 engine pumping out 450 horsepower, the Ranger Raptor has a twin-turbocharged 210hp diesel engine with a stump-pulling 369 lb-ft of torque. Like "lesser" Rangers, the Ranger Raptor's engine is hooked up to a 10-speed automatic transmission.

When it comes to the suspension, you'll find a coil arrangement out back for the solid axle, along with Position Sensitive Damping shock absorbers. High-strength low-alloy (HSLA) steel is used for both the frame and side rails, while BF Goodrich 285/70 R17 all-terrain tires will keep the truck firmly planted on terra firma.

As you can see by the shot of the interior above, the Ranger Raptor has only been confirmed for the Asia Pacific market… for now. However, given the popularity of the Colorado ZR2 and Tacoma TRD Pro, Ford would be foolish not to bring the Ranger Raptor here... even if it has to ditch the diesel engine in favor of a higher-output 2.3-liter EcoBoost engine. Or maybe Ford could squeeze in the 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6...

Tags: ford, (NYSE:F), ford ranger, ranger raptor

Brandon Hill

Brandon received his first PC, an IBM Aptiva 310, in 1994 and hasn’t looked back since. He cut his teeth on computer building/repair working at a mom and pop computer shop as a plucky teen in the mid 90s and went on to join AnandTech as the Senior News Editor in 1999. Brandon would later help to form DailyTech where he served as Editor-in-Chief from 2008 until 2014. Brandon is a tech geek at heart, and family members always know where to turn when they need free tech support. When he isn’t writing about the tech hardware or studying up on the latest in mobile gadgets, you’ll find him browsing forums that cater to his long-running passion: automobiles.

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