Ford Ranger Raptor 2023 gets PETROL twin-turbo V6 with 292kW of power, anti-lag, active exhaust

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Ford has unveiled the T6.2 Ranger Raptor which looks to bring a whole new level of off-roading performance not least due to the 292kW twin-turbo petrol V6 borrowed from the US-market Bronco 4WD.

The second-generation Ranger Raptor will go on sale in Australia in the second half of 2022 and comes armed with a host of headline performance upgrades including a WRC-inspired anti-lag system, adaptive Fox suspension and a permanent four-wheel-drive system.

The culmination of these upgrades – and more – has seen the T6.2 Ranger Raptor fly around Ford’s 10km mixed-surface test track a full minute faster than its predecessor.

Justin Capicchiano Ford’s supervisor of the Ranger Raptor program said the super ute had made a huge leap forward in its performance.

“In motorsport, when you find seconds, you’ve made progress. When you find a full minute, it’s a revelation,” he said.

Ford says the upgrades have seen the Ranger Raptor blow past other beefed-up Australian-developed utes like the Toyota Hilux Rugged-X Nissan Navara PRO-4X Warrior.

Exact pricing is yet to be announced but Chasing Cars speculates the new Ranger Raptor will demand around $90,000 (before on-roads) at launch, a significant jump over the $79,390 asking price of the current generation.

What makes the Ford Ranger Raptor so fast?

The new 3.0-litre ‘EcoBoost’ twin-turbo petrol V6 nearly doubles the power over the outgoing Ranger Raptor with 292kW available at 5650rpm and 583Nm of torque from 3500rpm compared to the old 2.0-litre twin-turbo diesel four’s 157kW/500Nm outputs.

The 2.0-litre diesel will still be available in the Ranger Raptor in other markets but the Australia Ranger Raptor will come armed exclusively with the 3.0-litre V6 petrol.

Ford has paired the new Raptor’s petrol engine with a revised 10-speed automatic transmission and the new Raptor retains its low-range transfer case.

The Australian-developed Ranger Raptor has ditched the selectable 4WD system from its predecessor for a permanent four-wheel-drive system paired with a set of front and rear locking differentials.

With the increase in power, engineers have also strengthened key areas of the chassis including the shock towers and fitted all-new long-travel suspension with a coil-sprung rear end – just like the outgoing Raptor.

Engineers have replaced the passive Fox suspension setup with a new adaptive 2.5-inch Fox Live Valve Internal Bypass shock absorbers. The electronic system is capable of adjusting 500 times per second to provide an optimal balance between ride comfort and performance in a range of conditions.

Ford says the flexibility of the new suspension system has given the Ranger Raptor a noticeably firmer ride to increase road-holding ability when out on the bitumen. 

Drive modes to tie everything together

With much of the T6.2 Ranger Raptor’s performance and features adjustable in one way or another Ford has opted to provide a variety of drive models to dial the aggression up or down as needed.

The first of which is ‘Quiet’ which uses the active exhaust to keep the peace in the driver’s neighbourhood, while ‘Normal’ provides a bit more attitude for everyday driving along with a comfortable-biased suspension setup and a focus on fuel efficiency.

Other modes include ‘Sport’ for spirited on-road driving, ‘Slippery’ for tackling wet roads and a series of off-road specific models including Rock Crawl, Sand and Mud/Ruts.

But the most exciting is ‘Baja’ model which is designed for high-speed off-roading and features an anti-lag system, which can keep the turbos spooled for up to three seconds after the driver comes off the throttle. 

What else does the Ranger Raptor include?

The Ranger Raptor features a tough but familiar appearance with beefy fender flares and new C-shaped matrix LED headlights and LED tail-lights. Designers have fitted 17-inch alloy wheels at each corner, wrapped in the same BF Goodrich All-Terrain KO2 tyres as the outgoing model.

Ford has outfitted the interior with leather upholstery combined with ‘Code Orange’ strips across the seats and dash, with matching ambient lighting filling the footwells of the ute.

As the range-topping model, Ford has thrown all the technology available at the Ranger Raptor including a 12-inch centre touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

This is complemented by an additional 12.4-inch digital driver’s display, a wireless phone charger and a Bang & Olufsen sound system.

More details and exact pricing and specification in Australia will be available closer to launch.