Well, we knew the Ranger Raptor’s US arrival was imminent and now that time has come, quickly following up on Ford’s recent Bronco Raptor announcement. Kicking ass and extreme off-roading in markets including Australia, South Africa, and Europe for years now, it was hard for North Americans to accept the beefed-up Ranger’s void in our market. Sure, it was nice Ford brought its compact pickup back after a short hiatus, but buyers not interested in the full-size F-150 Raptor yearned for similar capabilities in a smaller package.
Much like its Bronco cousin, the 2023 Ranger Raptor gets a 3.0L EcoBoost V6 putting down an expected 392 horsepower and 430 lb.-ft. of torque. Everything pairs to a 10-speed automatic transmission and standard four-wheel drive with advanced features, a two-speed transfer case, and front and rear locking differentials.
Of course, Ford ramped it up for the true off-roaders, most notably with FOX 2.5-inch Live Valve internal bypass shock absorbers developed by Ford Performance. Add 7 selectable drive modes, an electronically-controlled active exhaust system unique to the segment belting out just the right sounds, and a new anti-lag system providing rapid delivery of boost on demand, the new Ranger Raptor checks off pretty much every box on the high-performance, compact pickup checklist. As Ford puts it, will “leave you grinning from ear-to-ear.”
Ranger Raptor’s Blacked-Out Grille Adds to the Bold New Look
On the styling front, the Ranger Raptors’s front grille is all Raptor, inline with the F-150 Raptor’s look with the in-your-face F-O-R-D lettering coupled with the separate bumper and matrix LED headlights with LED daytime running lights. The burly 17-inch wheels get Raptor-exclusive performance all‑terrain tires, all nestled inside flared fenders covers, while flared wheel arches and C-clamp headlight designs make it clear this isn’t your neighbour’s Ranger.
In true Raptor fashion, expect this second-generation Ranger to get the same black-orange treatment throughout the cabin — specifically, the Code Orange accents on the instrument panel, trim and new, jet fighter-inspired sports seats in the front and rear. These Euro specs reveal a heated steering wheel though we’ll have to wait and see if the US gets the same. Regardless, Ford’s new-generation SYNC 4A will in the mix, paired to a 12.4‑inch all-digital cluster and 12-inch centre touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standards, plus a sweet 10-speaker audio system courtesy of Bang & Olufsen (B&O).
While European deliveries begin late Summer 2022, US and Canada should expect dealer deliveries sometime in 2023, along with more accurate, non-European specs we shared here. Stay tuned.
