The new Ford Ranger Raptor raises the bar for off-road performance.
Ford revealed the new Ranger Raptor with a bang this week, boldly proclaiming that it ”rewrites the rule book for off-road performance”.
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Offered as an off-road performance vehicle, the Ford Ranger Raptor is the one bakkie in which the popular Toyota Hilux, Isuzu D-Max and Nissan Navara have no rival for.
One of the biggest talking points around the second generation Raptor is it’s engine. As a result of customer demand, Ford will introduce a twin-turbo 3.0 EcoBoost V6 petrol engine to the Raptor.
The mill produces an almighty 292 kW of power and 583 Nm of torque and is paired to a recalibrated version of the ten-speed automatic gearbox used in the standard Ford Ranger.
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Although the exact specifications of the model which will be on offer in South Africa have not been announced yet, chances are that the detuned 212 kW European version will be Mzansi-bound.
The current local Raptor is powered by a four-cylinder, 2.0-litre bi-turbo diesel engine producing 157kW/500Nm.
Apart from its powertrain, the new version also include several other enhancements over the first generation model. Highlights include:
Unlike the current Ford Ranger Raptor, the new generation will not be built at the Ford Silverton Assembly Plant anymore, but in Thailand. The Silverton Plant will be producing the new Ford Ranger, new Everest and the new Volkswagen Amarok.
Ford will reveal the next generation Everest on 1 March. South African pricing, specifications and availability of the new Ford Ranger, Raptor and Everest are expected in the coming months.
For more information on the new Ford Ranger Raptor, click here.
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