Hennessey loves making VelociRaptor models out of Fords. The latest is a pumped up 2019 Ford Ranger, boosted to shave more than a second off its 0-60 time by juicing it with 80 more horses and 75 more foot pounds. The VelociRaptor Ranger costs a mere US$65,000 and there will only be 500 of them.
If this sounds crazy, it's not the first time Hennessey has mega-tuned a pickup truck. The Raptor is a singular favorite for the aftermarket tuning company. Back in 2013, Hennessey boosted horsepower and modified the Ford Raptor to make it into a VelociRaptor SUV. Three years later, it added an extra axle and more horesepower to make the six-wheeled VelociRaptor 6x6. Now there's a new take on the Hennessey VelociRaptor.
Hennessey, being from Texas, likes things big, so the fact that the company would figure out how to not only make the all-new Ford Ranger more powerful but also larger is not a surprise. The auto tuners added larger tires, fender flares, a light bar, and Hennessey-branded wheels, suspension (with lift), exhaust, and airflow induction. Plus some reprogramming of the stock Ranger's engine management software.
These changes result in the Ranger's little 2.3-liter turbocharged engine jumping from an already-respectable 270 horsepower (201 kW) to 350 bhp (261 kW) in output. Torque was also improved from 310 pound-feet (420 Nm) to 385 lb-ft (522 Nm) of twist. This improved output means that the stock 7.4-second 0-60 mph (96.5 km/h) drops to sports car territory at 6.1 seconds.
Those performance jumps weren't good enough for Hennessey's dream of a US$65,000 truck, though. Off-road gear and suspension lifting also had to be included.
Hennessey added four inches of lift to the Ranger through an in-house Stage 1 off-road suspension upgrade kit. Then put 17-inch Hennessey-branded alloy wheels on the truck and clad those in BF Goodrich 285/70 All-Terrain Tires. All of this added about six inches (15.2 cm) of height to the Ranger.
A new front bumper with LED lighting and a more aggressive approach angle was also added. An overhead LED lightbar is an option for the truck as well, also a Hennessey special.
There will be up to 500 VelociRaptor Ranger models made for 2019, Hennessey says, at a cost of $64,950, including the truck. Alternatively, already-purchased Ranger models can be upfitted by Hennessey for $19,950 plus shipping costs.
Source: Hennessey
