2024 Ford Ranger Raptor brings 405 HP to midsize truck segment
Getting to drive a Ford Ranger Raptor for the first time led to an eye-opening experience for Carl Widmann, chief engineer for Ford Performance.
That was after COVID-19 restrictions were lifted and he could travel to Australia and do some shock tuning with the Ford team there.
“They were really focused on the nimbleness of the vehicle because the dirt track they run has a huge eucalyptus tree at every corner, so you really had to get the shocks tuned just right so as you tuned in you knew it was going to respond and be there for you,” Widmann said Monday as he gave journalists an overview of the new 2024 Ford Ranger Raptor.
The Ranger Raptor represents an expansion of the Dearborn automaker’s midsize truck offerings for the U.S. market, which currently includes the Ranger XL, XLT and Lariat trims. The addition also adds to the Raptor lineup, which includes Bronco and two F-150 versions (a V6 and a V8). The Ranger Raptor was introduced in other markets, but it didn’t initially come to the United States because of its diesel engine, according to previous Free Press reporting.
The Ranger Raptor, unveiled along with the other 2024 Ranger models at a lakeside lodge and cottage camp site near Dexter, west of Detroit, adds a beastly 3-liter EcoBoost V6 to the 10-speed automatic transmission and four-wheel drive to deliver 405 horsepower and 430 pound-feet of torque.
It’s got the same engine, Widmann said, as the Bronco Raptor. Although in keeping with the different personalities and advantages of the two, he said, the Ranger Raptor would have the nimbleness to cut around the sagebrush on a trip Out West while the Bronco would just ride over it.
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It’s got other touches, too, that distinguish it from the other Ranger trims, including the large-lettered “FORD” across the grille and “Code Orange” accents in some of the stitching and other spots inside the cab, which also includes upfitter switches in the overhead console for off-roading options.
But Ford touts the adventure credentials of all of its Ranger trims, showing off images of people rock climbing, fishing and mountain biking during the unveiling to highlight a truck that it says hits the sweet spot between its F-Series and smaller Maverick.
Ranger sales have increased 112% worldwide in the last decade, with more than 86,000 sold in the first quarter of this year, Ford said, although its U.S. sales dropped 35% compared with the same period in 2022.
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The company makes the Ranger in five locations: Michigan Assembly in Wayne, along with plants in Argentina, South Africa and Thailand, where there are two.
As for the non-Raptor Ranger, it has been redesigned for 2024. It boasts a standard 2.3-liter EcoBoost inline-four to provide 270 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque or an available 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6 engine to deliver 315 horsepower and 400 pound-feet of torque. Maximum available towing is set at 7,500 pounds with an available payload of 1,805 pounds.
Extra storage can be found in a couple of rear under-seat bins, and those seats also fold flat, with an easy tug on the attached straps. It’s also a couple of inches wider between the wheel wells. An available side step is there to make accessing the bed a bit easier. The tailgate features a ruler and a bottle opener.
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There’s an available 360-degree camera and 12-inch center touch screen (although knobs and buttons, which many drivers say they prefer, are still there for temperature and music volume) as well as 31 standard or available driver assistance features, Ford said.
The 2024 Ranger has a starting price of $34,160, with Ranger Raptor at $56,960, including $1,595 for destination and delivery. Orders for both Ranger and Ranger Raptor start later this month with availability in late summer. The 2.7-liter Ranger is to be available in the late fall, the company said.
Mileage numbers have not yet been released.
Contact Eric D. Lawrence: elawrence@freepress.com. Become a subscriber.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: 2024 Ford Ranger Raptor delivers 405 HP, price starts at $57K
