Launched in the Australian market, The Ranger Raptor X is unlikely to be launched in India. However, the standard Ford Ranger that is largely based on the Ford Endeavour could be considered
Ford Ranger Raptor, a pickup truck based on the SUV called Everest, or as we know it, the Ford Endeavour now gets a few upgrades that justify the ‘X’ at the end of its name. The Ford Ranger Raptor X has been launched in the Australian market for the price of $61,300 that converts to Rs 35,04,540. And even before you get your hopes up high, No, the Ford Ranger Raptor R will not be considered for India. With the ‘X’ suffix, the Ranger Raptor brings along minor cosmetic changes, mildly tweaked interiors, and upgraded mechanicals and cycle parts.
The first thing you notice is the paint scheme, which is complemented by its graphics. The two black stripes with red surrounds start from the nose of the car run along the full length, covering the bonnet, roof, and tailgate. Similar graphics continues on the doors on both sides and stretches all the way up to the bed at the rear.
The skid/bash plate upfront is beefier than the standard Ranger by 60 per cent and gets an aluminum finish. The body cladding all around the new pickup offers a wide stance – For reference, the Raptor is wider than the standard Ford Ranger that also means it is wider than the India spec Ford Endeavour. The grille up front, foglamp bezels, wing mirror covers, sports/roll-over bar, 17-inch alloy wheels, bumpers on either end and body cladding are finished in black.
The Ranger Raptor utilizes an enhanced (stiffer) chassis than the standard Ranger models and the Raptor X gets an upgraded suspension system. The rear suspension unit is a Coilover arrangement and offers 205mm of more travel over the standard model. The front suspension unit offers travel of 165mm extra. Both the end gets Fox 63.5mm shock absorbers which offer variable damping settings. The tyres are BFGoodrich 33-inch (285/70 R17) that offer stiffer side-walls, deeper treads and have been specifically developed for the Ranger Raptor X. All the cycle part upgrade of the Raptor X has resulted in a 283mm ground clearance and 850mm fording depth. The approach and break over angle stand at 32.5-degree and 24-degree respectively.
The cabin gets its share of updates too. The steering gets red stitching that matches the exterior red highlights. The top of the dashboard, seats, door cards and gear shift selector sport the red stitching as well. The cabin layout of the Ranger Raptor X is largely identical to the standard model.
Speaking of its engine, the Ford Ranger Raptor X gets a 2.0-litre in-line four-cylinder block that we also see on the India spec Ford Endeavour, however, the international spec pickup gets a twin-turbo setup. The forced induction bumps the power output up to 210bhp and 500Nm. The gearbox on offer is the same 10-speed torque convertor unit as seen in the India spec Endeavour, however, the software tuning and response calibration will differ. There are driving modes on offer with the Ford Ranger Raptor X and the mainstay is the Baja mode that sets up the electronics of the pickup for high-speed offroading.
Ford brought the Mustang to the Indian market in the recent past. The Mustang was launched as a CBU (Completely Built-up Unit) and even with its high taxations structure, the sports coupe was a successful pitch in our market. Ford could possibly reap the benefits of its other lifestyle product, the Ranger – pickup variant of the Ford Endeavour – in the Indian market. Like the Mustang, the Ranger will also go through high taxing as it could a CBU initially. That could mean the Ford Ranger could be priced in the Rs 60-70 lakh ex-showroom mark, which will still be substantially higher than the locally assembled 2021 Jeep Wrangler. There are pictures of the Ford Ranger spotted on test in India that are surfacing on the internet which makes us believe that the Ranger could make its debut later this year.
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