Frequent Flyer

There Have Been Fast Bakkies Before but is the Ford Ranger Raptor the Start of a Real Off-road Performance Bakkie Segment?

South Africans are crazy about their bakkies and in an effort to stand out from the crowd, everyone wants something different. Ford Ranger fans, especially those in Pretoria, have been customising their bakkies with Raptor sticker kits, aftermarket grilles and bonnets for some time, taking inspiration from the iconic F-150 Raptor.

In a classic case of giving buyers what they want, Ford has finally developed a proper Ranger Raptor. This is no aesthetic job with a couple of stickers; this is the real thing, with genuine Ford Performance design and engineering excellence.

First of all, the Raptor looks the part. Larger dimensions including a 150mm wider front track and flared wheel arches – along with an imposing grille adorned with Ford block lettering – means this bakkie is immediately recognisable as something special. The boytjies in Pretoria with their fake Raptor kits can’t help but look the other way.

Upfront high-intensity discharge headlamps with LED daytime running lights and fog lamps are positioned above a frame-mounted front bumper system.

The striking, flared composite front fenders are designed to shrug off damage from off-road usage and allow for the longer suspension travel.

Tough side steps are finished with a grippy, anti-slip material and are designed specifically to prevent rock spray from hitting the rear of the vehicle as it powers along the dirt. A cool feature of these is that they stick out further than the bodywork, so if someone is going to open their door against yours in the parking lot, their door will hit the sidesteps and not the bodywork.

CAN IT GO OFF-ROAD?

Under this mean exterior is a unique Ford Performance chassis optimised for high-speed off-road driving and go-anywhere ability. The reinforced chassis frame uses high-strength, low-alloy steels to withstand the punishment endured by extreme off-road driving.