Ford reveals 2018 Ranger Raptor

Posted on Feb 7, 2018 by Editorial Team

Channel your inner Parnelli Jones with the new 2018 Ford Ranger Raptor performance pick-up truck — well, if it ever comes to the Middle East…

If you still need a clue as to how hot the mid-size pick-up truck market is right now, just take a gander over towards the direction of Stuttgart — even Mercedes-Benz is in on the game, having launched the brand’s first ever official pick-up truck last year in the form of the new X-Class destined for markets such as Australia, South America, and Africa.

Now Ford, too, is answering the call of thousands by widening the Raptor range of souped-up trucks, and launching the first-ever Ford Ranger Raptor, a mid-size bruiser that wants to stake a claim as the new benchmark in off-roading pick-up awesomeness.

Just revealed in Bangkok, Thailand, of all places, the 2018 Ford Ranger Raptor will actually be manufactured in Thailand (ok, now the launch-location makes sense…) with a bunch of tricked out parts like standard Fox Racing shock absorbers on both front and rear, and some big 332mm brake discs on both ends too.

The truck rides on all-terrain BF Goodrich 285/70 R17 tyres so it comes ready for the rock trails and dunes of the Middle East, which makes us pretty confident that this pick-up will eventually make its way to our region, otherwise Ford Middle East needs to catch a wake up.

Off the beaten path, the 2018 Ford Raptor Ranger additionally benefits from a new bash plate made from 2.3mm thick steel, plus some engine and transfer case guards, as well as protection for the radiator, front cross-member, engine sump and front differential. In other words, floor it…

And floor it you will, because the 2018 Ranger Raptor comes with a 2.0-litre diesel engine mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission, so you don’t have to pay that much attention to the fuel economy. Drivers will also have a new Terrain Management System to play with which offers six modes selectable via a steering wheel switch, and includes sand mode, rock mode, and even Baja mode (named after the Mexican desert) which optimises the car’s electronics for full-on off-road performance.

In short, enthusiasts have been clamouring for just such a mid-size pick-up truck and Ford Middle East will have to be mad not to offer the 2018 Ranger Raptor in our region as soon as it starts rolling out of the Thailand plant…

Tags: 2018, ford ranger, Pickup, raptor

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