It’s pretty hard to not like the Ford Raptor. It’s part ute, part desert racer, and part hardcore four-wheel drive. It features aggressive 35-inch tyres, racing suspension, and massive fenders to keep it all under wraps. Even though it was never officially sold here, the demand is so high that dozens of importers will gladly convert one to right-hand drive and make it legal for Australian roads.
If you’ve been putting away your spare change in hopes of buying one of those converted Raptors, you’re in luck that a new model has just been released, but you’ll have to wait until at least two years to get one. The 2017 Ford Raptor promises to be better than before, retaining its signature aggressive look and stance that’s six inches wider than the standard ute. The new model will see the rumbling 6.2-litre V8 discontinued in favour of a more powerful twin-turbo Ecoboost V6 engine and a 10-speed automatic transmission. Petrolheads might be sad to see the V8 go, but this combination should offer plenty of performance while increasing fuel economy. Ford has yet to release final numbers.
The updated model also benefits form Ford’s switch to aluminium body panels, which shaves hundreds of kilograms from the vehicle while improving capability. More power and less weight? Sounds like a good combination to me! Just like the old Raptor, you’ll find FOX Racing Shox on all four corners, but they’ve grown from an already impressive 2.5 inches in diameter to a staggering 3 inches to help dissipate heat and allow you to go even faster through the desert. The new suspension geometry is promised to offer more articulation and travel, though Ford will only say that it will beat the current generation’s 11.2 and 12 inches of front and rear travel. We’ll just have to take their word for it. A locking rear differential will continue as standard, with a Torsen limited-slip front differential available as an option to further increase off-road capability.
Pricing is yet to be announced.
