Six months after Ford showed it off as a camouflaged model, Ford’s first-ever Ranger Raptor has finally been unveiled in Thailand today.

Considered to be the ultimate Ranger—purposefully designed, built, and tested to set a benchmark as the only factory-built performance truck across Asia Pacific, the Ranger Raptor is designed by Ford Performance for the true off-road enthusiast.

The Ranger Raptor features distinctive design cues inside and out that are functionally driven.


At the front, the new grille takes on styling cues from its larger F-150 Raptor sibling. The iconic block F-O-R-D lettering is proudly positioned within the grille giving it an unmistakable presence. Meanwhile, the front bumper is now frame-mounted to offer increased durability and a strong presence. Housed in them are new LED fog lamps with functional air curtain ducts that help reduce air resistance of the body.

The Ranger Raptor uses composite materials helping it resist dings and dents when going off the beaten path. The flared fenders also allow it to accommodate a long-travel suspension and oversized tires. The palette of colors for the Ranger Raptor are: Lightning Blue, Race Red, Shadow Black, Frozen White, as well as a unique Hero color for the Ranger Raptor, Conquer Grey. Contrasting Dyno Grey accents helps to accentuate the vehicle’s look even further.

It’s noticeably bigger from every angle standing at an impressive 1,873 mm tall, 2,180 mm wide, and 5,398 mm long. Both the front and rear tracks have been widened to 1,710 mm. Ground clearance has been increased to 283 mm. It’s also superiorly packaged as evidenced by its 32.5 degrees approach angle, 24 degrees ramp over angle, and 24 degrees departure angle.


Even the step boards don’t escape the Ford Performance treatment. Designed to prevent rock spray from hitting the rear of the Ranger Raptor, it’s made of high-strength aluminum alloy durability tested that applies a 100-kilogram weight 84,000 times, simulating 10 years of use. A two-stage coating process also offers superior resistance to scuffs, scratches, stains, and environmental weathering.

At the back, the Ranger Raptor has a modified bumper that integrates a two bar and two recovery hooks rated at 3.8 tons. Updated styling includes flush sensor bezels and specially packaged and styled tow connectors. The cargo tray is a generous 1,560 mm x 1,743 mm in dimensions while a towing capacity is rated at 2,500 kilograms.

Inside, the Ranger Raptor carries a strong Ford Performance DNA. The seats are specially designed for off-road high-speed driving. For instance, it uses technical suede on the seats for additional occupant grip. It also offers increased laterally support and greatly reduces any chassis vibration that may make its way into the cabin.


The Ranger Raptor is also differentiated by its unique steering wheel with perforated leather on the hand grip sections and a red “on-center marker”, lightweight magnesium paddle shifters, and the SYNC 3 infotainment system on the 8-inch touchscreen display.

Underneath, the Ranger Raptor features a unique frame that designed for high-speed off-roading. It uses various grades of high-strength low-alloy (HSLA) steel to better absorb off-road high-speed impacts. The front accommodates strengthened protruding shock absorber towers and stronger forged aluminum upper arms and cast aluminum lower arms while at the back, a new coilover rear suspension with an integrated Watt’s linkage alloys the axle to move up and down with very little lateral movement. The spare tire crossmembers have also been reinforced to accommodate the larger spare tire.

The braking system on the Ranger Raptor offers extreme stopping power through vented disc brakes all around. At the front, it uses twin-piston calipers with rotors measuring 332 x 32 mm in size. At the back, the single-caliper disc brake is sized up with 332 x 24 mm rotors.


The dampers, exclusively manufactured by Fox Racing Shox have 46.6 mm pistons both front and rear. With Position Sensitive Damping (PSD), they provide higher damping forces at full jounce and rebound to enable better off-road capabilities, and lower damping forces in the mid-travel zone for class-leading plush ride on on-road trips.

Given the unforgiving terrain Ranger Raptor has been developed for, it needed an aggressive set of tires to keep it stable on and off-road. All-terrain BF Goodrich 285/70 R17 tires have been specially developed for the Ranger Raptor. The design offers a tough sidewall to take on all environments with confidence, a super grippy tread to extend owners’ adventure time on and off-road, and an aggressive off-road tread pattern which provides grip in any condition.

Ranger Raptor also comes with unique underbody protection to deflect off-road obstacles. The new bash plate is made from 2.3 mm thick high-strength steel. The silver-finished guard allows clearance to the dual front recovery hooks. Working together with the existing engine and transfer case under shields, the three elements provide protection to components such as the radiator, Electric Power Assisted Steering (EPAS), Front End Accessory Drive (FEAD), front cross-member, engine sump, and front differential.


Ranger Raptor also comes with a Terrain Management System (TMS) offering six modes for various driving experiences, which can be selected via a dedicated five-button switch located on the steering wheel. Each mode has been calibrated to offer the best possible combination of technologies working in unison to tackle the chosen terrain or driving style with aplomb. Various engine systems such as engine, transmission, steering, brakes, and even the stability control system have been calibrated also for extreme off-road use.

In a revolutionary move to deliver incredible performance and responsiveness, a 10-speed automatic transmission is combined with a new 2.0-liter twin-turbo diesel engine enabling the Ranger Raptor to deliver a maximum of 213 horsepower and 500 Nm of torque.

Working as a team, the smaller, high-pressure (HP) turbo is connected in a sequence to the larger, LP turbo and is controlled with by-pass valves that determine the operating mode depending on engine speed. At lower engine speeds, the two turbos work in series, enhancing torque and responsiveness, while at higher engine speeds, the small HP turbo is bypassed, and the higher LP turbo provides boost to deliver more power.

This engine weighs some 40 kilograms less than the 3.2-liter inline-5 contributing to the Ranger Raptor’s improved handling and driving feel.


Meanwhile, the 10-speed automatic transmission is shared with the F-150 Raptor and has been created with high-strength steel, aluminum alloys and composites to optimize durability and weight. Having 10 gears means a wider ratio-span resulting in better acceleration and responsiveness.

The all-new electronic system features real-time adaptive shift-scheduling algorithms engineered to help ensure the right gear is selected at the right time. A unique transmission calibration also includes a ‘Live in Drive’ function, meaning that the paddle shifters are always available for manual gear selection override.

Ford engineers have tested the new powertrain extensively in order to prove out durability.


This testing includes running a ‘thermo cycle’ on the engine, heating both turbos to the point of glowing red for 200 hundred hours non-stop. It can withstand this torture thanks to the turbo bearings and low-pressure (LP) turbo being water cooled to reduce temperature, avoid over-heating and protect the air induction components.

Ranger Raptor comes with a host of advanced Driver Assist Technologies (DATs) at the push of a button which are not just cutting edge, but genuinely practical for everyday use.

The Satellite Navigation System comes into its own when off-roading in remote areas, even offering a ‘breadcrumb’ feature to leave a trail when entering unchartered areas – perfect for the serious off-roader.


High levels of active and passive safety have been designed-in from the outset, including the improved Ford Stability Control incorporating Roll Mitigation Function.

Ford’s comprehensive Electronic Stability Control (ESC) system is also there to help in difficult cornering and braking situations. The impressive technology suite includes Trailer Sway Control (TSC), Hill Start Assist (HSA), Hill Descent Control (HDC) and Load Adaptive Control (LAC).

For convenient access, an EZ Lift Tailgate uses a new rod assembly to give the owner a 66 percent reduction in initial lift force. Intelligent Access, also known as passive entry, allows the owner to unlock, lock, and start the vehicle without having to reach for their keys.

The Ford Ranger Raptor will be produced in Ford Thailand Manufacturing (FTM) using Ford’s latest state of the art manufacturing techniques and facilities. It’s slated to arrive in Ford showrooms within 2018.