Ford Ranger 2.0Bi-Turbo D/C 4x4 Raptor

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Report 2

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R932,400

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WHY IT'S HERE

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To get the team around for launches, ferrying magazines from the depot and filming.

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DRIVERS

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Ntsako Mthethwa 

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Ever since the year 2022 started, it has had its fair share of motoring-shifting events.

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Just before we concluded 2021, Ford took the heavy camo off its new locally-manufactured Ranger bakkie that is set to live a double life as part of the joint venture between Volkswagen and Ford for the next-generation Amarok. We’re now deep within the year 2022 and the American car marque has showcased its Everest and vicious Ranger Raptor that both boast substantial changes to help them combat in their respective folds. 

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Not that we are complaining but it has also been a busy year, so far, at the TGSA offices we welcomed our Ford Ranger Raptor to the long-term garage a few months ago. As remarkable as it is to be chaperoning regular test units, it becomes a hands-on exercise, especially when committing to undertake all the TGSA assignments. It's been all systems go for a while now.  

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Apart from being just a proper off-road bruiser, the Ford Ranger Raptor also proves to be a monumental mover of freight, this was evident when transporting magazines from the depot to our storage facility. 

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When it comes to living with the Raptor in a daily family environment, it has been an absolute pleasure even though that comes at a cost when taking current fuel prices into consideration.  

The interior has picked up a few bespoke features when compared with the standard Ranger models such as a new steering wheel, lightweight magnesium paddle shifters and Raptor-specific seats. Speaking of seats, they lend plenty of support but they are also hewn from hard-wearing fabric covers that complement the rugged stance of the Raptor. 

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Although the 2.0-litre Bi-turbo four-cylinder may look a tad less powerful on paper, it has proven to be capable. It delivers 157 kW and 500 Nm of torque while shuffling through a 10-speed automatic transmission that has proven to be quite responsive even when laden with load and five passengers. 

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We are still whining about the short-lived shove available at cruising speeds but then again, the arrival of the new Ford Raptor will address the issue decisively with its twin-turbo 3.0-litre EcoBoost V6 powerplant with 292 kW and 583 Nm. 

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The Fox Racing Shox shock absorbers, rear coil-over spring conversion with a new Watts linkage still remain one of our absolute favourite setups thanks to its ability to soak up bumps while the bigger 17” BF Goodrich all-terrain tyres keep us covered from punctures, yes, we’ve come across daring potholes and survived.

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Sometimes we are a little too quick to judge, our first report of the Raptor mentioned that the bakkie was far from economical. Take into account, though, its weight of over 2,000 kg, and it dawns on you that it was never supposed to save you bucks at the pumps.

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Getting the 80-litre fuel tank filled up from scratch at the current R21.48 per litre asking price cost us R1,720 which added about 600 km worth of driving range, yikes. Anyway, we are glad to report that it covered more than that and the fuel consumption figures barely surpassed 10.9l/100 km which is really impressive when you think about it. 

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There are still more tasks to do with the Ranger Raptor such as attending launches and shoots while thoroughly exploring the six different driving modes. Stay tuned.

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Ford Ranger 2.0Bi-Turbo D/C 4x4 Raptor

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Report 3

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R932,400

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WHY IT'S HERE

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Time to put its ‘Lifestyle Bakkie’ label to the test. 

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DRIVERS

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Avon Middleton

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As we near the 30,000 km mark in our long-term Ford Ranger Raptor, we’ve been won over by the bakkie’s credentials and near undaunted nature. With the rain wreaking havoc on our roads, the tar can no longer be described as tar and no matter where you go, you’re sure to find crevices to dodge. In the Raptor, we’ve done that with much less anxiety than most. It simply glides over potholes with determined solidity.  

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As you would have seen from our previous reports on the Ranger Raptor, South African’s adoption of bakkies can be attributed to its multi-faceted use. One of these is its compatibility with the leisure and lifestyle that outdoorsy, adventure-types enjoy. We are in one of the most spectacular countries aren’t we? 

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To that end, there were two options of leisurely travel from which to choose. Snow chasing anyone? It sounds exciting doesn’t it? No it isn’t really, unless you actually manage to catch the snowfall, which in our part of the world is very seldom. We waited weeks for a proper snow dump, perusing all sorts of weather apps, looking at all the snow chasing groups on Whatsapp and Facebook to no good fortune. So on to the next option which was a camping/fishing trip with the family. Destination? A small nature reserve outside Potchefstroom. 

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To make the most of our 191 km route from Northern Jozi, I opted to go the long way around, traversing very close to a phalanx of mines known for their bountiful beauty(not) and their torrid roads made so by all the trucks that do work there. For the most part, the drive was comfortable because the Raptor is a solid, bump-soaking cruiser, despite the weighty load (tents and all) in the rear. 

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One of our observations was how many other Ranger Raptors we saw in the vicinity of all these mines. We counted five others on our trip to Potch and considering that it is mining country, it makes sense. A Raptor is all the bakkie you need for that environment. It’s those execs and senior management car allowances. 

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But further afield, we arrived at a turn that would take us to our camp site, on the banks of the Boskop Dam. The tar gave way to some pretty rough gravel where the rain had done major damage eroding away large chunks of the route. Were we in something smaller, a mid-sized SUV perhaps, maybe we’d worry but the Raptor was undeterred. 

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Sitting around the campfire, we talked about the Raptor’s performance as a leisure vehicle. Right at the top of the list is its significant platform and suspension. That hardcore, go-anywhere ability gives a lot of confidence despite the environment. You just don’t worry. My kids love its tech and appointments. A two-pin power source in the second row is a win, its Apple CarPlay and infotainment system score highly, and its very decent sound system which we put to good use before we arrived (the camp site was strict about having no music.) I must also make mention of the Alcantara and leather combination seats. They offer a combination of comfort and body-hugging sportiness and seem to be aging quite well. 

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My wife queried the fuel consumption and thankfully, the Raptor has improved its consumption the longer we have had it. Our trip dropped it to a solid 10.1l/100 km which is very good for a car this size and loaded with five people, tents, cooler boxes, fishing gear, food for two nights, charcoal, wood and more. 

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What this first generation Raptor was missing, shown up from our trip, is the practicality of tie-down areas in the load bin. The Raptor’s lack of a sports bar also didn’t sit well in some quarters which Is why Ford opted to fit one to the facelifted version of the current generation model(we’re driving the pre-facelift model.)

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There are a number of accessories for the Raptor that would solve some of these issues and that ultimately would be up to an owner to decide. For what it’s worth from my point of view, it has a solid towing (2.5 tonnes braked) and loading capability (981 kg) and so boats and other sorts of lifestyle paraphernalia can easily be brought along. 

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We’ve spoken at length about the engine and transmission combo but I can assure you, we won’t be seeing 10.1l/100 km on the all-new Raptor that brakes cover towards the end of the year and that will be a key difference that we might miss in the future. The fuel price helps with that argument too. 

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The Ranger Raptor plays leisure bakkie with the same undaunted stride as it has for the past few months. 

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