Bringing Off-Road Experience to a New Level, Ford Ranger

Raptor is Ready for the ‘Outback Attack’ 

DARWIN, Australia, July 24, 2018 – Unveiled to the world for the first time earlier this year, the highly anticipated Ford Ranger Raptor is set to arrive in markets across Asia Pacific. With Ford Performance DNA at its core, this high-speed desert racer pushes the limits in technology, innovation and driving excitement. Whether you’re hitting the road for a bush bash or a desert drive, Ranger Raptor will make it a ride to remember.

“We are proud to unleash the Ford Performance version of the highly successful Ford Ranger pickup truck to our customers around the world,” said Trevor Worthington, vice president, Product Development, Ford Asia Pacific.

“Our performance vehicles bring a different customer into Ford showrooms, and Ranger Raptor will help conquest new customers looking for a Ranger with immense off-road capability like no other. We have a passion for bringing the best to our customers, and Ranger Raptor showcases the best of Ford Performance’s expertise in performance vehicle design and engineering.”

Ready to set a new benchmark in high-speed, off-road pickup capability, Ranger Raptor packs a hefty punch that makes it the ultimate truck in its segment to drive.

1. No-Nonsense Exterior

Take one look at the Ranger Raptor, and you know this off-road high-performance truck means business. Its imposing stance, with 283mm of ground clearance and 150mm wider front and rear track, lets you know that this is a serious off-road performance machine. Its aggressive grille with the big bold FORD block lettering screams Raptor DNA – the real thing, with genuine Ford Performance.

But more than just tough looks, Raptor’s distinct design elements are also functional. The front fenders are made from durable composite materials for exciting off-road adventures. The front bumper includes new LED fog lamps with air-curtain ducts, which reduce air resistance. The flared shape of the fenders have been designed to accommodate the long travel suspension and off-road tires.

2. Performance-Bred Interior

Step inside Ranger Raptor, and you will enter a world where it is unmistakably Ford Performance. The sports seats

are uniquely designed and trimmed in Technical Suede for maximum grip, providing optimum support during high-performance off-road driving, or while cruising in town.

Other sporting details distinguishing the Raptor include blue stitching and leather accents, as well as the aggressively-styled instrument cluster. The steering wheel features perforated leather hand grip sections, paired with Raptor DNA lightweight magnesium paddle shifters for crisp gear changes. The

Raptor logo is debossed into the spoke bezel of the steering wheel and an “On-Centre” marker – a red stripe at the top-middle of the wheel –  gives you confidence to know where the wheels are pointing.

3. Powerful Bi-Turbo Performance

Of course, it’s not enough to merely look aggressive. It needs to deliver great performance and responsiveness too. To that end, the Ranger Raptor is equipped with a new 2.0-liter Bi-Turbo diesel engine that delivers a maximum of 213PS (157kW) of power and 500Nm of torque. This innovative power plant offers both high performance and efficiency, thanks to its combination of small, high pressure turbo and large, low-pressure turbo that work to provide performance when the customer demands it.

And you will never have to worry about whether it will be up to the task of handling the stresses of high performance, as the powertrain has been designed from day one for the most powerful and highest stress applications. This includes running a thermal cycle on the engine, heating both turbos to the point of glowing red for 200 hours non-stop. The high grade alloy turbo housing ensures durability up to 860^oC exhaust temperature, while the turbo bearings and low-pressure turbo are being water cooled to reduce temperature and protect the air induction components.

4. Unrivalled Efficiency

Get this, the Ranger Raptor has 10 gears. Yep, count ‘em, 10. Its 10-speed automatic transmission is created with high-strength steel, aluminum alloys and composites to optimize durability and weight.

Having 10 gears means a wider ratio-span, resulting in better acceleration and responsiveness. With more room to optimize gear spacing, gear progression can be customized for more accurate and quicker shifts. It also features real-time adaptive shift-scheduling algorithms engineered to optimize gear selection.

5. A Tough Core

Under the skin, the Ranger Raptor’s unique chassis frame is newly-developed and extensively modified for high speeds and endurance off-road. Built to withstand high-impact off-road encounters, Ranger Raptor’s frame consists of various grades of high-strength low-alloy (HSLA) steel.

6. Take On The Baja

Just to further underline its desert rally credentials, the Ranger Raptor’s Terrain Management System (TMS) includes an exciting Baja mode, inspired by Mexico’s famous Baja Desert Rally, and enables ultra-responsive, high-speed off-road performance. In this mode, vehicle systems like Traction Control are pared back to allow spirited off-road driving without intervention from the vehicle’s on-board systems. Gear selection is optimized for maximum performance, and the mapping will hold gears longer and downshift more aggressively.

7. Extreme Stopping Power

And, when you need to come to a halt, the braking system on the Ranger Raptor offers extreme stopping power through new and bespoke components. The front twin-piston calipers have been increased by 9.5mm in diameter and feature ventilated rotors in an impressive 332 x 32mm size. Also, for the first time on a Ranger, disc brakes at the rear include a brake actuation master cylinder and booster to increase braking performance, as well as ventilated 332 x 24mm rear rotors and a new 54mm caliper.

8. Withstand Any Shock

To better handle the crunching jumps and wild rides of your off-road pursuits, the Ranger Raptor’s Position Sensitive Damping (PSD) shock absorbers are exclusively manufactured by FOX, designed to provide higher damping forces at full jounce and rebound to enable better off-road capabilities, and lower damping forces in the mid-travel zone for class-leading on-road comfort. The Watt’s linkage rear suspension has been specifically crafted to tackle tough terrain at high-speed while remaining in complete control and comfort, offering the best of both worlds.

9. Grip For Any Terrain

To tackle unforgiving terrain, Ranger Raptor’s specially developed BF Goodrich All-Terrain 285/70 R17 KO2 tires offer a tough sidewall to navigate all environments with confidence. Its super grippy tread extends owners’ adventure time on and off-road and an aggressive tread pattern handles wet, mud, sand and snow conditions.

10. Safety and Convenience First

The Ranger Raptor is loaded with safety and convenience features that make it suitable for both on and off-road. A host of Driver-Assist Technologies (DATs) are available at the push of a button, incorporating unique design features tailored for the Ranger Raptor.

For instance, the Satellite Navigation System offers a “breadcrumb” feature to leave a trail in uncharted areas – perfect for the serious off-roader. And safety being a number one priority, Ranger Raptor is equipped with Ford Stability Control, incorporating Roll Mitigation Function utilizing clever sensors to anticipate and minimize oversteer, understeer and rollover incidents.

“The standout experience of the Ranger Raptor, hands down, is how far you can push it off-road versus any other available standard production road vehicle, and still provide amazing ride comfort on-road,” said Damien Ross, chief program engineer, Ford Ranger Raptor.

“Everything about the Ranger Raptor builds on the already outstanding sophisticated feel and functional capability of the Ranger, and then goes further. From a driving dynamics and fun standpoint, it is really an exceptionally special truck.”

The Ranger Raptor will be launched in SA in the first half of 2019.