Ford Ranger Raptor

FIRST UK DRIVE Performance truck struts its stuff on British soil

- Dean Gibson

PLENTY of performance Ford badges have come and gone over the decades, but one that's been established in recent years is Raptor. Starting with the F-150 Raptor pick-up truck in the US, the label adorns high-performance versions of Ford's off-road models, and has subsequently appeared on the Bronco SUV and Ranger pick-up. The latter was the first Raptor to arrive officially in the UK, and now a second-generation version has landed on these shores.

The last model tested the waters for the Raptor brand, and it proved to be a success. So Ford has raised the ante with this all-new model, which tops the line-up of the new-generation Ranger.

While the old truck's diesel powerplant is still on offer, if you want the full Raptor experience, you need the 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 petrol tested here. Partly because the petrol version comes with 288bhp (up from the diesel's 202bhp), but it also features more advanced Fox dampers which are independently adjustable. Plus you get seven preset drive modes, launch control, a front diff lock, an anti-lag system to keep the turbos spinning, and extra steering wheel buttons for adjusting different settings.