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With all the hype about the 2024 Toyota Tacoma, it is only natural for midsize truck enthusiasts to be jazzed about the 6th-generation 2024 Ford Ranger. What we are most excited about is that the 2024 Ranger Raptor will finally become available to the U.S. market. Ford recently posted promotional materials hyping the new truck model and its outdoor-focused target customers.
They stated the 2024 Ford Ranger will be revealed on May 10, pointing interested parties to a landing page, Ford.com/RANGERready. At this point, the link is only a placeholder as there is no real information available.
The promotional video’s limited details show a glimpse of several pre-production variants, one of which is the Ranger Raptor. This is indicated by the signature Raptor tailgate badging and a dusted-out front fender.
Before these recent revelations were announced, we knew it was coming. February 21, 2022, a tweet from Ford CEO Jim Farley confirmed that the second-generation Ranger Raptor will be sold in the United States and Canada starting in 2023.
This post also presented details on the upcoming vehicle’s performance package. “The Next-Generation Ford Ranger Raptor is the most powerful Ranger we’ve ever built,” Jim Farley tweeted. “Developed by Ford Performance to tame all terrains, with a bold new look, a 3.0-liter twin-turbo EcoBoost V6 petrol engine, FOX 2.5-inch Live Valve shock absorbers, a front and rear locking differential, and a host of other awesome features. The Ford Ranger Raptor delivers pure exhilaration, pushing the limit on-and off-road.”
Why The Ford Ranger Raptor Now?
For details on the upcoming 2024 Ford Ranger and the North American version of the Ranger Raptor, we do not have to look too far. But just for fun, we will. Back in 2011, the original Ford Ranger T6 platform, codenamed P375, was introduced but was excluded from the U.S. market. Finally, in 2019, America got its version of the new platform Ford Ranger. Right about that time, the first Ranger Raptor was introduced but again excluded the U.S. This left the automotive aftermarket to do its magic.
An all-new T6.2 redesign that retains its body-on-frame platform, codenamed P703, made its way to the global market in 2022. Of course, the Ranger Raptor was a big part of that launch, but only overseas. It appears that Ford wanted to test the American market for the new midsize truck while using the global platform to pave the way. This seems to have been a long-term strategy all along. Interestingly enough, the new full-size Bronco was developed in parallel with the new Ranger, uses much of the same components, and is manufactured at the same Michigan Assembly Plant.
The chassis underpinning from the New Ford Ranger Raptor (Global model).
Our next-generation Ranger Raptor has a unique chassis compared to the next-generation Ranger. A series of unique mounts and reinforcements were implemented, including the C-pillar, load box and spare wheel. Unique frames for the jounce bumper, shock tower, and rear shock bracket ensure the Ranger Raptor can handle off-road punishment.
What Do We Know About The 2024 Ford Ranger Raptor?
Like the American version of the Ranger inheriting much of the global Ranger’s DNA, the American Ranger Raptor will follow suit. This means our Ranger Raptor will be equally badass. Just like the F-150 Raptor and Bronco Raptor are just absolutely awesome compared to their counterparts.
Besides a strong backbone and packing a twin-turbo EcoBoost marked for around 400 horsepower, the Ranger Raptor will likely be equipped with a 10-speed automatic transmission. Like its Bronco Raptor brother, the little Raptor truck should receive an advanced full-time four-wheel-drive system, a two-speed transfer case, off-road locking differentials, and off-road wheels and tires.
How Does The Ranger Raptor Drive?
The good news is that this is not Ford’s first go-around with producing off-road purpose-built trucks. The company has a tremendous and successful history in off-road racing. The Ranger Raptor is no different. Ford Performance fielded a Ranger Raptor entry in the 2022 SCORE-International Baja 1000 to win the treachours race. They have also announced plans to participate in Australia’s 2023 Tatts Finke Desert Race.
Helping the new Ranger Raptor handle anything from smooth roads to mud and ruts, including Baja and the Outback, are the selectable drive modes. This feature offers up to seven drive modes including the off-road-oriented ‘Baja’ mode for extreme high-speed off-roading. In ‘Baja’ mode electronic systems are configured for ultimate performance.
Ranger Raptor On-road Drive Modes:
- Normal – designed for comfort, fuel efficiency, and drivability;
- Sport – more responsive for spirited on-road driving; and
- Slippery – for more confident driving on off-road slippery or uneven surfaces.
Ranger Raptor Off-road Drive Modes:
- Rock Crawl – providing optimum traction and momentum on loose surfaces.
- Sand – for use in soft sand and deep snow conditions, optimizing power delivery and transmission shifts.
- Mud/Ruts – for maximum grip off-road during launch and maintaining vehicle momentum.
- Baja – tuned for high-speed off-road performance with all systems set for maximum attack.
- Next-gen Ranger Raptor also comes with Trail Control, which is like cruise control for off-roading. The driver simply selects a set speed, and the vehicle manages acceleration and braking.
What Does The Ranger Raptor Sound Like?
Beyond that, an electronically controlled active exhaust system amplifies the engine note in four selectable drive modes (Quiet, Normal, Sport, and Baja), the Ranger Raptor’s vocal character ranges from mild to wild.
Ranger Raptor Active Exhaust:
Choose the preferred engine sound by pressing a button on the steering wheel or by selecting a drive mode using the following settings:
- Quiet – Designed to prioritize quietness over performance and sound.
- Normal – Intended for everyday use, this profile offers an exhaust note with presence while not being too loud for street use. This profile is applied by default to Normal, Slippery, Mud/Ruts, and Rock Crawl modes.
- Sport – Offers a louder and more aggressive note, for when you want to shake things up a little.
- Baja – This is the most aggressive of the exhaust profiles in both volume and note. It behaves more like a straight-through system in this setting and is intended for off-road use only.
How Does The Ranger Raptor Ride?
The Ranger Raptor receives long-travel front and rear suspension and refined Watt’s link-equipped coil-spring rear suspension. This is designed to deliver more control across rough terrain. The real off-road performance comes from the incredible adaptive shock technology of the Fox Live Valve to aid the radical suspension package.
Soaking up those humps and bumps are next-generation FOX 2.5-inch Live Valve Internal Bypass shock absorbers. This is cutting-edge control technology with position-sensitive damping capabilities. These shock absorbers are the most sophisticated ever on Ranger Raptor. Teflon-infused oil reduces friction by around 50 percent compared to those on the previous Raptor.
Linked to Ranger Raptor’s revised selectable drive modes, the Live Valve Internal Bypass system has been developed to provide better on-road comfort and off-road ride quality at all speeds.
FOX’s race-proven Bottom-Out Control provides maximum damping force in the last 25 percent of shock travel. Similarly, the system can stiffen the rear dampers to prevent Raptor from squatting under hard acceleration. With the right amount of damping force at every position, the Raptor stays planted on both the road and track.
What Other Upgrades Does The Ranger Raptor Feature?
Raptor variants tend to receive upgraded interior amenities and materials. We can expect interior similarities like black upholstery with red accent stitching, and a red stripe on the steering wheel. We also see two modern-looking infotainment screens.
Images of a 2024 Ford Ranger Raptor on the production line at the historic Michigan Assembly Plant.
Other Raptor styling cues are present as well, including the oversized black fender flares, fender vents, hood vents, skid plate package, recovery hooks, aggressive front bumper, and the signature Ford Raptor grille styling.
Ford has not announced any pricing just yet and we expect the details to be listed with the May 10 announcement. We do know a 2023 Ford Ranger starts around $28,000 for a base model. A 2023 Ford Ranger should sell within the same range but the Ranger Raptor could easily exceed $55,000.
