New Ford Ranger Raptor to fly higher

The all-new 2022 Ford Ranger Raptor is set to take a huge leap in performance capability from the current high-flying dual-cab 4x4 ute.

The new Raptor is expected to piggyback on the major additions of the incoming new-generation 2022 Ford Ranger, including a 3.0-litre V6 turbo-diesel engine, full-time 4x4 and revamped 10-speed auto.

But it also appears certain the 2022 Ford Ranger Raptor will add adaptive dampers to its coil-spring suspension system.

It’s mouth-watering stuff considering just how good the current Raptor already is, with its 2.0-litre Bi-Turbo engine and part-time shift-on-the fly 4x4 system.

In fact, it’s so good in its current state, it’s hard to imagine Ford will just sweep aside the current set-up.

Considering both the 2.0 twin-turbo diesel engine and shift-on-the fly 4x4 system continue into the new-generation Ranger, it arguably makes sense to expand the Raptor range into a wider spectrum of models.

A critically important reason to consider that strategy will be price.

You will spend more than $80,000 getting into the current Raptor X, and a 3.0 V6 with the full-time Borg-Warner transfer case is going to add significantly to that before other changes are even taken into account.

Not that Ford Australia executives were willing to confirm any details of the new Raptor, let alone model and pricing strategy, when questioned by carsales.

“We’re not talking about Raptor today,” was the refrain each time the topic of the high-performance Ranger came up.

However, Ranger platform chief engineer Ian Foston was at least obliquely prepared to discuss a Raptor power-up when pressed on whether the new V6 was a response to criticisms of the 2.0-litre engine in Raptor when it launched in 2018.

Ranger outputs for the 3.0-litre V6 are yet to be confirmed, but in the F-150 in the US (from which it was recently deleted due to lack of demand), the Power Stroke engine makes 190kW and 597Nm.

The Raptor’s current 2.0 Bi-Turbo makes 157kW/500Nm.

“Clearly we’ve spoken to customers … and we’ve had lots of input from customers. I wouldn’t say necessarily criticisms, but inputs about what they would like from a power and torque perspective,” said Foston.

“We kind of went back there and looked at, well, what was available inside, the corporation, and that (3.0-litre) was really the natural choice for us to use from their point of view, just to give customers that choice.

“In Europe, everyone loves the Bi-Turbo, because it’s fuel efficient, it’s powerful … that’s absolutely, you know, something which is suited for that customer.

“In other markets, you know, South Africa and Australia, we certainly got feedback that we would like more capacity, more power, more torque.

“So what we did is this major platform upgrade and we gave customers the choice, so it’s for their own personal driving style or their own requirements for their own cost of ownership that they want to achieve, so we’ve given customers that choice.”

The new powertrain and chassis upgrades might also address the reduced braked towing and payload limits the Raptor currently possesses compared to the mainstream Ranger.

The Raptor has a 2500kg braked towing capacity, 1000kg below the capability of the current PXIII and 2022 Ford Ranger. The maximum payload is 748kg, compared to a tonne or better for some current Rangers.

The Raptor is a Ford Performance model inspired by Baja desert racing pre-runners and developed alongside the mainstream Ranger at the Blue Oval’s Asia-Pacific product development centre in Victoria.

Uprated dynamic capabilities have been the cornerstone of its appeal. The track has been widened, and the leaf spring rear-end replaced with coils and a Watts Link.

Up front, the double A-arms are aluminium and there are outboard-mounted coil-over Fox Racing Shox internal bypass dampers, a redesigned and braced T6 chassis and big ventilated brakes front and rear.

The full-time transfer case being introduced with the 3.0-litre V6 is a new generation compared to the one in the Ranger-derived Everest SUV.

As per the current Raptor, it will come with the multi-mode Terrain Management System to aid on- and off-road driving behaviour.

However, carsales has learned suspension tuning is now within its parameters, firming up our expectation of adaptive dampers.