Ford chose the Gamescom fair in Cologne for the continental debut
Forget bland motor shows, Ford chose to launch its hardcore Ranger at the heart of gaming. A sign of the future, perhaps?
The new Ranger Raptor is prepared for a lot of action, so going for a gaming convention to launch it is an excellent idea. Not to mention that the tough, rugged Ranger will also feature in Forza Horizon 4!
Developed by Ford Performance, the Ranger Raptor will be in showrooms by mid-2019. In Europe, the hardcore off-roader will be powered by a Bi-turbo version of Ford’s 2.0‑litre EcoBlue diesel engine that delivers 213 PS and 500 Nm of torque, coupled with Ford’s new 10-speed automatic gearbox.
“Forget everything you think you know about pick-ups. Our new Ranger Raptor is a different breed – a thoroughbred desert racer and extreme lifestyle off-roader that can toil with the best of them in the harshest of working conditions.”
Leo Roeks, Ford Performance Director, Europe
According to Ford, the Ranger Raptor is built to withstand high-impact off-road events, having a super-strong reinforced chassis frame that uses high-strength, low-alloy steels to endure the punishment delivered by off-road racing. Raptor’s suspension has also been specifically crafted to tackle fearsome terrain at high-speed while remaining in complete control and comfort. FOX shock absorbers with Position Sensitive Damping provide higher damping forces at extremes for off-road capability and lower damping forces in more moderate conditions for a smoother ride on-road.
Here's some more tech stuff from Ford's press release:
The high-performance dampers with 46.6 mm pistons are supported by aluminum control arms, with protruding shock absorber towers at the front and a new coilover rear suspension arrangement featuring an integrated Watt’s linkage that allows the axle to move up and down with very little lateral movement. Braking is performed by twin-piston front callipers; 332 mm by 32 mm ventilated front discs; and 332 mm by 24 mm ventilated rear discs.
All-terrain BF Goodrich 285/70 R17 tyres have been specially developed for the Ranger Raptor. Measuring 838 mm in diameter and 285 mm wide, the design offers a tough sidewall to take on the most formidable environments with confidence, and an aggressive off-road tread pattern which provides an iron grip in wet, mud, sand and snow conditions.
You can find more about the Raptor technical details in our original article about the car. Expect a starting price tag at around €40,000 on the continent and £40,000 in the UK.
SEE MORE: First 2019 Ford Ranger Raptor review finds it a great off-road performance truck