Ford has confirmed that its most badass high-speed off-roader is coming to Europe, with the announcement made at, of all places, the Gamescon video game conference in Germany. The Ranger Raptor will hit Euro showrooms in 2019, but you'll be able to get a feel for it as early as October in the upcoming Forza Horizon 4 game.
With its 210-hp (157-kW) twin-turbo diesel engine, Fox Racing suspension, 10-speed paddle-shift transmission and beefed-up body, the Ranger Raptor is positioned in a fairly unique spot. Like the popular Ranger from which it's derived, it's a twin-cab utility truck built for family outdoor fun. But the focus here is on high-speed, hard-hitting, Baja-style desert racing capability.
Adjustable ride modes for Normal, Sport, Grass/Gravel/Snow, Mud/Sand, Rock and Baja-style driving give this thing plenty of versatility, and Ford is adamant its tough-terrain capabilities don't come at the expense of highway comfort.
"The standout experience of the Ranger Raptor, hands down, is how far you can push it off-road and still ride like a millionaire on-road," says Damien Ross, Chief Program Engineer of Ranger Raptor & Special Vehicle Engineering at Ford. "Everything about the Ranger Raptor builds on the already outstanding sophisticated feel and functional capability of the Ranger, and then goes further. From a driving dynamic fun standpoint, it is really an exceptionally special vehicle."
So yes, this fun-looking monster is on its way to European shores, hitting showrooms in 2019. And homage will also be paid to this thing in the digital world, with the announcement that Ford has collaborated with Microsoft Studios to put the Raptor Ranger in Forza Horizon 4, the latest in the series of open-world racing games for Xbox that's launching on October 11.
No pricing is available yet, but to tide you over, here's a completely ridiculous video of a stunt driver flailing the Raptor Ranger around in a quarry and embarrassing several other vehicles it likely won't be able to keep up with in real life. C'mon, guys, a truck this wild shouldn't need the hyperbole.
Source: Ford
