Ford says that the first-ever Ranger Raptor is unlike any performance truck the world has seen. Inspired by the grueling world of Baja desert racing, it’s not meant to just go over obstacles, but actually jump over them as well. Of course, one doesn’t have to look far to see that Chevrolet’s actually built their own hardcore version of the Colorado. Dubbed the ZR2, it’s a US-only model for now. But what happens if they do meet face-to-face on Manila streets? Well, this tale of the tape will tell.



Looks

Subjectively, the Ranger Raptor nails this head on. The muscular stance and bulbous fenders make the Colorado ZR2 look puny in comparison. And that’s saying a lot since the Colorado ZR2 by itself isn’t subdued. The Ranger Raptor’s wider everything (wider tracks, wider tires, wider body) all make it more imposing that Chevy’s best effort.



Powertrain and Performance

Ford hasn’t revealed a lot of information about its new twin-turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder diesel engine except that it makes 213 horsepower and 500 Nm of torque. While it does sound like a downer to those expecting even more oomph, Ford engineers did say that this engine is about 40 kilograms lighter than the 3.2-liter inline-5 which should make the Ranger Raptor feel a lot less nose heavy. Interestingly though, peak power will arrive at around 4,000 rpm while the redline is at around 4,500 rpm—which means there isn’t much leeway for additional tuning. That said, it is mated to a 10-speed automatic with an outstanding crawl ratio in the range of 36 to 1.

For the North American market, Chevy offers the Colorado ZR2 with a choice between a gasoline and diesel engine. For this comparison though, it’s best to stick to the diesel engine for a proper apples-to-apples comparison. With that, it’s a very familiar powerplant to current Colorado owners: the 2.8-liter Duramax 4-cylinder engine with 186 horsepower and 500 Nm of torque. It’s down on power compared to the Ranger Raptor, but it’s dead even on torque. And not only that, with just a 6-speed automatic, it’s down a whole four ratios from the Ford which will likely mean that the Ranger Raptor will be faster and more fuel efficient than the Colorado ZR2.



Suspension

Chevrolet made big news when they decided to fit Multimatic Dynamic Suspensions Spool Valve (DSSV) damper technology on the Colorado ZR2. Commonly used in high-performance cars such as Formula One racecars and even the Camaro Z/28, this is DSSV’s first off-road specific application. Ground clearance comes in at a decent 226 millimeters while the approach, breakover, and departure angles are all great, but not outstanding. Four-wheel disc brakes keep the Colorado ZR2’s power in check while front and rear electronic locking differentials should offer credible off-roading poise.

In comparison, Ford went with Fox Racing Shox for the Ranger Raptor as they did on the F-150 Raptor. Like the Colorado ZR’2 DSSV, the Ranger Raptor’s shocks offer position sensitive damping. Additionally, the Ranger Raptor has the Colorado ZR2 beat in ground clearance (283 millimeters), and approach, breakover, and departure angles. The disc brakes are also larger and are ventilated on all four corners. Plus, the Ford offers a Watt’s link rear suspension as well as a Terrain Management System (TMS).



Pricing

Ford hasn’t announced pricing for the Ranger Raptor yet, but they have said (more than once) that it’ll be priced competitively. How competitive should it be? Well, in the US, a Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 starts at around USD 44,895 (P 2,320,000) which means the Ranger Raptor should theoretically be in this same price range. One hunch is that it will be somewhere between the Ranger 3.2 Wildtrak (P 1,628,000) and the Mustang 2.3 EcoBoost (P 2,748,000). With the Everest topping out at P 2,288,000, there’s a glaring P 460,000 gap to the Mustang. The Ranger Raptor will likely fill in that gap. With the F-150 Raptor starting at USD 50,000 (P 2,590,000) in the US, it just makes sense for Ford to bring the pricing below that for psychological purposes. Perhaps, P 2,288,000 to P 2,488,000? What is sure is that it will arrive within 2018.