The all-new 2024 Ranger Raptor was spied on back in January at Ford’s Michigan assembly plant in some leaked photos, and needless to say, it looks stunning. As the mid-sized sibling of the wildly popular F150 Raptor and the Bronco Raptor, the Ranger Raptor has been eagerly awaited by off-road enthusiasts in the U.S. for the past five years. Along with the Cactus Grey one example on the assembly line that everyone is already drooling over, the Ranger Raptor also comes in three exclusive colors - Cyber Orange, Velocity Blue, and smoking Hot Pepper Red, which is sure to be the crowd favorite.
The competition is stiff in the mid-sized truck market with the likes of the Toyota Tacoma TRD, the Nissan Frontier Pro 4X, and the Chevy Colorado Bison fighting for a space in your garage. So, while the Raptor badge has its own loyal fan following, will it be enough to hedge the bets in favor of Ford’s latest performance truck? Lets find out.
The Origins
The Ranger Raptor was first introduced to the international market back in 2018, however, the 2024 variant will be the first time it will be available Statside. Currently, in its 6th generation, the latest upgrade is their toughest and most powerful one yet. The Raptor trim is synonymous with off-road performance, and there is even speculation that Ford will make a Raptor version of the immense Super Duty and all-electric F-150 Lightning down the road.
Looks That Pack A Punch
The leaked photos were able to shine a light on what we already suspected the truck would look like. With Ford’s signature aggressive logo-ed grille, flared wheel arches, dual-tip exit exhaust, and chunky BF Goodrich all-terrain tires, the truck shares its look with its international counterpart, with the U.S. spec truck even getting sublime orange trim interiors with a massive vertical entertainment screen and raptor badges. The interior shots also revealed paddle shifters, which will be enormously helpful in keeping both hands on the steering wheel as you tear through muddy dirt roads, the natural habitat of Raptor trucks.
What’s Under The Hood?
Powering the G6 Ranger Raptor will be a beefy 3.0 Litre EcoBoost V-6 engine combined with a 10-speed automatic gearbox. The exact power figures are not known yet but rest assured they will be close to the 400 horsepower mark if the Australian variant is any indicator.
Along with the powerful engine, the truck will also be decked out with a host of off-road treats like specially tuned Fox internal bypass suspension linked by aluminum control arms to the reinforced chassis, all sitting on BF Goodrich K02s rubber.
Another cool feature we are excited about is the new anti-lag system, which was originally developed by Ford Performance for the Ford GT. This feature ensures instantaneous power delivery by keeping the turbo spooled up.
It’s clear that Ford has developed this truck with a lot of care and attention to detail, especially taking into consideration the dreams of U.S. off-road fans who have been envious of their international friends who have been enjoying the Ranger Raptor for a while now.
Hitting The Ground Running
The upcoming Ranger has some heavy competition in the mid-size truck market, especially from everyone’s favorite truck, the Toyota Tacoma, which has been the reigning king of the hill for the last 18 years. The aging Tacoma is also stated to be overhauled and joined by a new hybrid variant, which should be hitting dealerships around the same time as the Ranger. The exact dates are unknown, but you should be able to take deliveries of their trucks around the August-September mark, just in time for early Christmas.
Also, around the corner is another fan favorite - the Chevy Colorado ZR2 Bison, which has already been spotted being tested. The other notable competitors are the GMC Canyon, Nissan Frontier, and Honda Ridgeline. As you can see, the U.S. mid-size truck market is heating up with competition and the Ranger Raptor is entering the fray with a few nifty tricks up its sleeve and brand recognition from the Raptor name lineage. Will it be another successful offering by Ford or will it get lost in the competition, we will be eagerly watching its story unfold.