Ford Ranger Raptor Gearing Up for United States

Ford has announced that the Raptor Ranger will become a global model this week, furnishing the relevant specifications while CEO Jim Farley scheduled its arrival in the United States for 2023.

While that doesn’t give us specific details for the version that’ll be hitting our market next year, nobody is expecting massive changes between regions. Our Raptor Ranger will likely utilize the same twin-turbo 3.0-liter V6 that’s inside the Bronco Raptor. That’s a lovely 392 horsepower and 430 pound-feet of torque, with numbers being subject to change to appease local regulators. Though the pickup’s 10-speed automatic and standard four-wheel drive (with a two-speed transfer case and front and rear locking differentials) should persist regardless of whatever the Environmental Protection Agency says it needs.

Obviously, this thing is designed to be a hoot off-road. So Ford has loaded it up with the necessary goodies. Some of those are meaningless (though not unattractive) visual cues designed to sync up with Blue Oval’s other off-road models, like the black grille with Ford spelled out in huge letters and contrasting Raptor graphics along the truck’s haunches. Other visual details are associated with important performance upgrades. For example, the Raptor Ranger’s larger fender flares are sheltering a set of 33-inch BF Goodrich K02 all-terrain tires the manufacturer said could be put on factory optional bead-lock wheels.

Ford said the chassis has been reinforced to ensure the truck is ready to endure the kind of abuse normally associated with off-road shenanigans, though the forums are loaded with people arguing about forged-aluminum upper control arms and cast-aluminum lowers. Much like its F-Series equivalent, the Ranger comes with adaptive shocks from Fox Racing (meaning it’s okay to put the sticker on the rear windshield). But they’re a little smaller at 2.5 inches in diameter, whereas the full-size pickup uses 3.5-inch units. Customers also receive numerous terrain modes and digital tools designed to make driving on a loose surface a little easier.

The latter item will be accessible via the next-generation Ranger’s upgraded infotainment system. For 2023, the Raptor model will receive an upsized 12.4-inch digital dashboard with a 12-inch central touchscreen using Ford’s Sync 4A user interface. While physical controls seem like they’d be far more useful in a vehicle that’s designed to fly over sand and plow through mud, it’s substantially easier for the factory to slot in a larger screen with the latest UX. That means Apple CarPlay and Android Auto exist by default, along with the obnoxious FordPass stuff that constantly tries to push you into using the app.

One has to take the good with the bad, I suppose.

Additional details will be leaked for our market over the coming months. At present, we’re only feeling comfortable about the above information shared by Ford. Expect the vehicle to launch with a crew cab and be priced to start a few grand north of $40,000.

[Image: Ford Motor Co.]