Driving report: Ford Ranger Raptor - wider, higher, more robust

With the new model year rolls the Ford Ranger in the extra-rugged version of Raptor to dealers. On board: an off-road sports mode.

Pick-ups still have a niche existence in Germany, but interest in the long legs with loading space is growing: Ford now sells around 8000 units per year from the Ranger in Germany, making it the market leader ahead of Toyota VW Amarok, Nissan Navara, Toyota Hilux and Co. - Five years earlier, Ford didn't even sell half of it. With the increasing demand, the variety of variants also grows: With various special models, the manufacturers sometimes emphasize the lifestyle side, sometimes the practical genes of their donkeys. Or demonstrate off-road capability, such as the new Ford Ranger Raptor, which will be available from dealers from the end of May. However, this also requires a lot of purchasing power: With 66.771 Euro it costs more than twice as much as the cheapest Ford pick-up.

As a role model, the ranger took the large F-150 Raptor, which is not officially available in Germany. The Raptor formula is quickly explained: higher, wider and more stable. Specifically, this means that the Ranger Raptor with 2,18 meters measures almost 17 centimeters from mirror edge to mirror edge and that it is five centimeters higher than the standard model. The ground clearance has increased to the same extent, 28,3 centimeters of air are between Ford and the ground; this goes hand in hand with a higher wading depth (85 centimeters) and larger embankment and ramp angles, i.e. even better off-road capabilities. In addition to the mandatory all-wheel drive and off-road gear reduction, the Raptor also features the limited slip differential on the rear axle - and reinforced underride protection. Incidentally, the Raptor is the only ranger at all that does not rely on leaf springs on the rigid axle, but on a multi-link axle with wattage linkage and coil springs, which allows higher speeds even off-road. A look at the shock absorbers also shows that the Ford performance department had a hand in the development: The Ranger Raptor is equipped with high-performance shock absorbers from Fox, which are otherwise found primarily in the off-road sports sector are. They ensure maximum damping off-road and tighter driving behavior on the road.  

The Baja mode of the terrain management system also hits the sport notch: in addition to the grass / gravel / snow, mud / sand and rock levels, the gait inspired by the Mexican off-road rally Baja 1000 prepares the ranger for high-speed - Drive through the terrain. The Raptor mastered them brilliantly in the Moroccan desert, and the robust substructure would probably have been able to take more; However, as is so often the case, when meter-high sand waves spill over the bonnet and the seat belt can hardly keep up with the hold, the driver reaches his limits faster than the technology.    

For those who want to be on the road afloat, there is a special sport mode that makes the engine and gearbox legs. The empty Ranger Raptor, which weighs a good two and a half tons, certainly won't become an on-road dynamist; The 10,6 seconds that the pick-up needs to sprint at speed 100 already betray this - it doesn't feel brisk either. The new top-of-the-range engine is always under the hood, because when it comes to the drive, the customer has no choice: The Raptor always drives up with two-liter four-cylinder diesel with sequential turbocharging. The engine, which is also available in the Wildtrak and Limited equipment levels, develops 156 kW / 213 PS and pushes a maximum of 500 Newton meters onto the crankshaft. The power is managed by a ten-speed automatic, which also works in the F-150 and Mustang. The fact that Ford does not offer the Raptor with the legendary five-cylinder diesel has a simple reason: it does not meet the new emissions regulations that will apply from September 2019 and then flies completely out of the program.

Incidentally, in order to meet the new demands, Ford has not only replaced the top engine. Two weaker versions of the two-liter with 96 kW / 130 PS and 125 kW / 170 PS will also replace the previous 2,2-liter engine from May. In the course of this, Ford has also given the ranger, which is available with single, extra and double cabins, a small facelift, which can be recognized above all by retouching the radiator grille. The turn is different again with the Raptor: Instead of cross struts, the mighty Ford lettering is emblazoned on the front of the top model - the ranger also learned this from the F-150 Raptor, as did the blue decorative stitching in the interior. With the model year change, all Rangers benefit from better standard equipment including cruise control with a rear-end warning, intelligent speed assistant, lane assist and traffic sign recognition. On the other hand, the Raptor, which is only available with the large cabin, is stuffed to the top anyway: 8 inch touchscreen infotainment, electrically adjustable seats, keyless entry system, reversing camera, loading space roller blind, towbar and much more are standard here. The only option: metallic paint.