Ford Ranger Raptor

Ford’s popular pick-up truck gets a Baja rally-style performance overhaul – and this time there’s a petrol V6

You only need to cast a cursory glance at the Ford Ranger Raptor to know that this isn’t your common or garden pick-up truck. It’s a far different beast to that of the Ranger Wildtrak that has dominated pick-up sales charts in the UK and Europe in recent years. The Raptor is a performance-focused, dune-bashing double-cab vehicle that has the capability of a cross-country rally prerunner (what drivers use for a recce of a course instead of their race truck). This time around, the Raptor has been dialled up a notch and now makes a whole range of noises that are variously louder and distinctively richer than those of its diesel-only predecessor. Indeed, the Raptor package isn’t totally unfamiliar: the enormous F-150 Raptor has been sold in the US for some time and Ford rolled out the first Ranger Raptor in 2019, with the performance off-roader embellished by BG Goodrich tyres, chassis modifications and much more – but it was only available with the 2.0-litre diesel four.Now it makes a more welcoming warble from a new turbo petrol V6, which gives the utilitarian pick-up a totally new and sporting personality that allows it to go very, very fast just about anywhere. So is Ford’s now petrol-powered Raptor a sports car slayer, and where does it fit in the performance truck firmament? Let’s find out. 

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