Aggro petrol V6 confirmed for new Ford Ranger Raptor

The next-generation 2023 Ford Ranger Raptor will make its global debut in less than a fortnight and will upgrade to a high-output, high-revving petrol V6, as evidenced by Ford’s most recent teaser video.

Posted to YouTube this evening, the video not only locks in the Ranger Raptor’s global reveal date of February 22 but also confirms our intel that a turbocharged Ecoboost petrol V6 petrol engine will lurk beneath its bonnet, thanks to the wailing engine note that can be heard for the vast majority of the 26-second video.

Promising to “deliver a whole new level of performance”, the donk in question is widely expected to be the same twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre V6 that powers the recently revealed Ford Bronco Raptor, a model that shares most of its DNA with the new-generation Australian-developed pick-up.

In the Bronco Raptor, Ford says the force-fed six will produce ‘at least’ 298kW of power – almost double the output of the 2.0-litre biturbo-diesel in the current Ranger Raptor (157kW), and – more importantly – double that of any current ute rival.

In terms of torque, the same engine in the Ford Explorer ST develops a healthy 563Nm; pointing to a pulling power advantage of at least 63Nm over the outgoing Raptor (500Nm).

Other mechanical conclusions that can be drawn from the video include the presence of the familiar 10-speed automatic transmission – a lot of gear changes can be heard in quick succession – as per the flagship Bronco and Ford’s previous confirmation of the gearbox’s applications across the rest of next-gen Ranger line-up.

The coil-sprung rear-end and heavy-duty performance shock absorbers introduced on the first Raptor are back too and, while they can’t be seen in the video, disc rear brakes will also make a return.

Few definitive conclusions can be drawn as to the new Raptor’s styling due to the elaborate camouflage in which the test mule is wrapped, but you can guarantee it will ride higher and on a wider track than the standard Ranger.

Accompanying the clip is a fresh, official teaser image of the Raptor’s uncamouflaged rear-end as it slides around in the dust. While it doesn’t reveal much, it does at least show the extended wheel-arches wrapped around what are obviously wider wheel tracks.

Nestled within those arches will be a set of chunky and aggressively-treaded BFGoodrich K02 all-terrain tyres, wrapped around black or darkened 17-inch alloy wheels.

As we know from the mainstream 2022 Ford Ranger variants revealed in November, ahead of their release around May, the new Raptor will bring a massive uplift in terms of in-cabin technology, including infotainment and safety when it goes on sale later this year.

Stand by for the full official reveal in less than two weeks.

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