Are you right to be so angry?
Now, we all know Australians love a good whinge. And small engine capacities is one of the favourite topics. When the Ranger landed, everyone was excited for something of a mini F-150 Raptor. Where many were hoping for something in the same ilk as the 335kW, 690Nm turbo petrol motor, we’ve got something different under the bonnet…
It’s Ford’s latest-generation 2.0-litre twin-turbo diesel, which makes 157kW @ 3,750rpm and 500Nm @ 1,750rpm. Pretty furious amounts of power for the given capacity. That’s not only the engine that’s furious, however. Posts on Facebook and other sites have been filled with negative vitriol and laments of the punters.
Who’s right? Well, like usual, it’s nobody and everybody. Ford no doubt wants to build a car that everybody lusts after uncontrollably – but it needs to do it within the very real constraints of cost, safety, engineering and emission controls. And everyone wants a fast, powerful ute; but they also want something affordable, easy to drive and cheap to run and maintain. Something’s gotta give…
Anyway, that kind of power – running through a 10-speed gearbox – will no doubt be quick, especially for a dual-cab ute. Where Ford definitely hasn’t skimped is the suspension: Gone are the leaf springs and drum brakes. In their place are huge disc brakes and Watts-Linkage with coils. The track is 150mm wider, and the shocks are Fox units with internal bypassing and floating pistons (very top end, and very expensive). And there’s 33-inch BF Goodrich All-Terrain tyres. Stock. Factory. Yiew. You can expect this thing to glide over rough roads at high speeds very nicely.
Here, you need to take your hat off to Ford: It’s not just a crappy sticker-pack with a silly name. There are serious and significant changes to chassis, suspension and rubber – which will make a serious and significant change to the way the Raptor drives. As they say, the proof will be in the pudding. And you’ll see a proper road test in due course in Unsealed 4X4. Stay tuned.
