2022 Ford Ranger Raptor imagined
With the Ford Ranger now out in the open, attention turns to the hotly-anticipated Raptor version. Here’s what it could look like.
Around 24 hours ago the wraps were lifted from the 2022 Ford Ranger, the first all-new version of the popular ute, with diesel V6 power, an Australian-designed look, and tech-packed interior.
During the Ranger’s global reveal – to the surprise of fans and media alike – Ford provided our first glimpse at the new Ranger performance fans are really waiting for, the Baja-ready Raptor; including a clip of its engine, with a distinct whiff of six cylinders and petrol (not diesel) fuel.
While the new Ranger Raptor will be revealed in full in February 2022 – with all camouflage removed, and the contents of the engine bay exposed – we couldn’t wait, so we tasked Photoshop extraordinaire Theophilus Chin with imagining what the new hero ute might look like.
MORE: 2022 Ford Ranger unveiled with V6 power, more tech, here early next year
Using the new Ranger as a base, the full gamut of Raptor styling upgrades were applied; first the signature ‘FORD’ grille script, followed by a wider and taller grille opening, more hardcore front and rear bumpers (borrowed from the outgoing Raptor, for illustrative purposes), and a metallic front skid plate.
Just as the standard Ranger’s styling is heavily influenced by the larger F-150 pick-up sold in the US, the Raptor model imagined here eschews the traditional Ford Performance Blue hue in favour of the Code Orange seen on the latest F-150 Raptor.
Blistered front and rear quarter panels – each fitted with wider wheel arch flares – house 17-inch alloy wheels wrapped in BFGoodrich K02 all-terrain tyres, with spy photos pointing to 285/70 profile rubber (up from the Wildtrak’s 255/65R18 tyres).
At the rear, the Raptor retains a variation of the Wildtrak’s bumper – as suggested by spy photos – alongside ‘RAPTOR’ tailgate badging and black trim. Spy photos also indicate dual exhaust tips will be offered (though not pictured here).
MORE: 2022 Ford Ranger Raptor: Everything we know so far
As indicated by the ‘V6’ and ‘4WD’ badges in Drive’s render – and the aforementioned sound clip – power is expected to come from a 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged V6 petrol engine from the US-market Ford Explorer ST, replacing the 3.0-litre turbo-diesel V6 set to feature atop the standard Ranger line-up.
In the Explorer, the engine quotes outputs of 298kW and 563Nm – providing a healthy gap between the circa-190kW/600Nm rumoured of the Ranger Wildtrak’s diesel V6, and the 336kW/692Nm of the new F-150 Raptor and its 3.5-litre twin-turbo petrol V6.
Drive is expected to be sent to all four wheels through a 10-speed automatic transmission and on-demand all-wheel drive, rather than a part-time four-wheel-drive system.
Under the skin, expect Fox shock absorbers and a coil-sprung rear axle, joined by an array of drive modes – possibly including the high-speed Baja mode seen on the larger F-150 Raptor. Whether towing capacity is upgraded from 2500kg (as per today’s car) to 3500kg remains to be seen.
Inside, if the current Ranger Raptor and new F-150 Raptor are a guide, highlights are likely to include a sports steering wheel with a 12 o’clock marker and paddle shifters, sports seats, and the larger 12-inch instrument and 12-inch infotainment screens set to be offered on flagship 2022 Rangers, with additional Ford Performance modes.
For more on the new Ford Ranger Raptor, click here to read our earlier story.
The 2022 Ford Ranger Raptor will be revealed in full in February, the Blue Oval brand’s teaser confirms.
With an unveiling so early in the year, the high-performance ute could hit Australian showrooms before the end of 2022 – creating a gap of mere months between standard and Raptor versions of the Ranger, compared to the seven-year gap (2011 to 2018) seen with the outgoing model.
The post 2022 Ford Ranger Raptor imagined appeared first on Drive.