The ultimate Ford Ranger has landed

FORD RANGER RAPTOR
Price range: $ 84,990
Powertrains: 2.0-liter turbo-diesel four (157kW / 500Nm). Automatic ten-speed, 4WD
Bodywork: Double cab ute
Now,

The coolest name in the automotive industry is making its way onto the Raptor Ranger, a version (literally) extreme of the best-selling vehicle in New Zealand (19659010) Make me an instant expert: what do I need to know?

Let's clear things up first; the Raptor has never had a straight road performance

No, even the F150 Raptor monster has always had more love for its suspension and off-road capability than its engine.

That's because the Raptors always have always been about beating on rough terrain at a frankly silly rate and crawling on everything you wanted to point to.

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And the Ranger version is no different in this respect, having been largely overhauled for serious off-road use, including additional chassis protection, chassis reinforcement and a new coilover suspension – using a Watt link configuration and a solid axle – at the rear replacing the standard Ranger leaf spring, with a set of spectacular dampers Fox Racing with an internal bypass at the front and a remote tank at the rear

Where did you drive?

After flying a lot to get to Darwin, we ended up ending up at a massive massive breeding station called Tipperary. Or "Tipery" if you take into account our usual "Strayan cousins" & # 39; to drop the letters deemed useless. With over 1.2 million acres of land to bypass, it was the ideal playground for the Raptor.

Of course, before arriving at the fun part, there was the long road to get there, which was also where the Raptor's suspension shone rather brilliantly with an incredibly comfortable ride and a wonderfully precise and predictable handling.

Although the 2.0-liter engine capacity is a point of contention. for many people, it is more powerful than the standard 3.2-liter five-cylinder Ranger unit. But it's actually the way it delivers that power and, more importantly, the couple that's the most disappointing of the Raptor.

The peak torque is narrower in the Raptor (1750 to 2000rpm) and it lacks the average punch of the big five-cylinder. unit. This is particularly perceptible in passing, where one attends the step rather than flowing it, and the impression of lacking punch in the middle and the high end is amplified by the superbly transmitting 10-speed glow that's just as slippery and quiet.

It was fine in town though, with smoother and smoother transmission power, and an incredible burst, but you probably will not win any traffic light races in

Whenever you leave of sealed stuff, however, there will be very few things that can affect you. "

On gravel or sand roads in Baja 2WD or 4WD mode, the Raptor is superbly capable and incredibly fun. The faster you drive, the better the handling and comfort, while the ability to go where you point is astounding.

But it's better, because pounding it on even rougher surfaces reveals its true off-road racing capabilities.

The huge jumps are handled with disdainful ease, while the impacts that would neutralize a lesser vehicle were simply shaken by the Raptor without even faltering in its impressive pace.

But what about this slow-crawling and mud-wading stuff? Well, it's quite effortless too, with intelligent electronic systems working beautifully with the pure mechanical off-road capability of the Ranger.

What stands out the most?

Oh, it would be this incredible off-road performance. But also, on the other hand, superb handling on the road and maneuverability.

The worst way to approach the Raptor Ranger would be to consider it as a high power version of the Ranger Wildtrak that can do dual use.

It really does the family's job, far better than the standard Ranger thanks to the brilliant suspension of the intelligent suspension and the lower power of the 2.0-liter engine. 19659010] But this potential thing of workhorse? Not really; the Raptor is all about playing time. With a lower towing capacity (2500 kg) and a load capacity (750 kg) compared to the standard Ranger (3500 kg and 950 kg respectively), the Raptor does not worry silly responsibilities on weekdays.

very quickly and effortlessly or crawling on things slowly and also effortlessly, while keeping a huge smile firmly stuck on the pilot's face.

Simon Johnson, chief engineer of the Raptors, describes the Raptor as a four-wheel dirt bike. possible description for this. Put it like that; If I owned a farm, I would own a Raptor. And never do work on the farm …

Why buy it?

Because you want the ultimate Ranger and because you really want to go off-road. The latter is quite important because you will never appreciate how good the Raptor is if you do not do it.

Also, in the opposite direction, because you want a ute that is superbly comfortable as a daily driver and

Why would not I buy it?

Because you want a real workaholic. While Raptor could make the majority of what most kiwis use for their use, this ultimate lack of towing and load capacity will limit it for some.

Also, if you can not do without a four-cylinder Raptor or $ 85,000 Ranger, then you probably will not give the Raptor a chance, which is a shame, because you really missed it Something.

                
                     – Stuff