Whatshot
The Ford Ranger Raptor Defies Bakkie Boundaries
The Ford Ranger Raptor Defies Bakkie Boundaries
Date: 2023-11-27
South Africa's Car-Of-The-Year 2023 and the runner up to overall winner, the Next Generation Ford Ranger and Next Generation Ford Everest have shared DNA and heritage with the top-of-the-pile Ford Ranger Raptor, which I had the pleasure of test-driving thoroughly.
TheFord Ranger Raptor almost defies description, ensconced in the strapping exterior of this highly capable off-roader is a luxury saloon like, fully digital interior cabin, complete with leather steering wheel and a high resolution 12.4-inch digital cluster accompanied by a 12-inch centre touch screen. Ford has gone further with the Ranger Raptor than you can imagine.
The three-litre twin turbo EcoBoost V6 engine had me holding onto the steering wheel for dear life, besides the considerable 292 kilowatts of power and the583 Newton meters of torque, the electronically controlled four-wheel drive system employs front and rear diff locks that made me feel like Superman while testing the Raptor's off-road manners.
The Raptor offers seven selectable drive modes as well as a new feature called 'Trail Crawl'. This is like cruise control but for heavy off road conditions.
Taking it to the next level, as the Next-Gen Ranger does, the Raptor employs a host of Driver Assist features that add the edge to the luxury experience a Raptor provides. The familiar stability and traction control systems are present and the Raptor adds Lane Keeping Systems with Lane Keeping Alert, Lane Keeping Aid and Road Edge Detection as well as Land Centring and Evasive Steer Assist just to go further. Add to that so much more like Pre-Collision Assist with DynamicBrake Support, Forward Collision Warning and Automated Emergency Braking.
TheRaptor has a voice, a throaty growl that can be adapted accordingly, however it all came down to a feeling of being enabled, empowered, almost weaponised, whenI was driving the Ford Ranger Raptor.
On the open road or off the beaten track, even out of sight of any track at all,the Next-Generation Ford Ranger Raptor is sophisticated without any pretence.They come standard with a four year / 120 000 kilometre warranty.