The cat’s out of the bag: Ford has just confirmed it will stage the world debut of its hotly anticipated new 2018 Ranger Raptor super-ute in Bangkok, Thailand on February 7.
No other details will be made available before the big day, when full technical specifications will be announced, but we understand the hottest ever Ranger will be powered by a potent new 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel.
But before you go lamenting the lack of the US version’s six-cylinder petrol engine – likely to be a version of the F-150 Raptor’s ballistic 331kW/691Nm 3.5-litre twin-turbo EcoBoost V6 – it should deliver more performance than the standard Ranger’s already-lusty 147kW/470Nm 3.2-litre inline diesel five.
And it should also come standard with the new 10-speed automatic transmission -- with low-range transfer case -- Ford has co-developed with GM.
Whether it matches the current torque benchmark -- Volkswagen’s Amarok V6, powered by a 180kW/550Nm 3.0-litre turbo-diesel that propels it to 100km/h in just 7.9 seconds – or indeed next April’s new Mercedes-Benz X 350d, which will pack a 190kW/620Nm 3.0-litre V6 diesel, remains to be seen.
Ford began the official countdown to the Ranger Raptor’s reveal in September, when it revealed three teaser images and a video of it being thrashed in the Aussie Outback.
Back then, it described it as “a purpose-built, desert-racing inspired pick-up truck” that will deliver “a level of capability and off-road performance never before seen in the mid-size pick-up truck segment”.
The hard-core ute is loosely based on the redesigned 2018 Ranger, which we expect to see at the Bangkok motor show next March and is also being developed right here by the Ford Asia Pacific product development crew.
However, it will bring a new level of off-road capability to the Ranger’s Aussie-developed T6 ladder chassis, which will also underpin Ford’s born-again 2020 Bronco SUV.
As we’ve reported, Raptor upgrades should include a version of the Everest SUV’s multi-link rear suspension with coil springs, a much wider wheel track, ground clearance of up to 250mm, four-wheel disc brakes and huge 285/70 R17 BF Goodrich All-Terrain tyres on blacked-out 17-inch alloys.
The beefier chassis will necessitate an all-new tub to go with the new-for-2018 cab body, but even this will wear a chunkier bonnet and front quarter guards, and of course a more aggressive grille, bumper and LED headlights.
When it goes on sale in the second half of next year, be ready for a price tag of around $80,000.