Ford has announced that the very first examples of the new Ranger Raptor have rolled off the production line in Thailand, with the Blue Oval brand releasing a short-but-interesting time-lapse video showing the new bakkie being built.
The first Ranger Raptor units are set to be delivered to buyers in Thailand in August, with the choice of five exterior colours: Lightning Blue, Race Red, Shadow Black, Frozen White and Conquer Grey.
Of course, Ford Performance’s beefy new bakkie will also be produced at the Silverton Assembly Plant right here in South Africa, with its powerplant to be built at the Struandale engine plant in Port Elizabeth (the local launch will take place in 2019).
As a reminder, the Ranger Raptor is powered by a new twin-turbo 2,0-litre four-cylinder diesel engine worth 157 kW and 500 N.m, sent to all four corners via a new 10-speed automatic transmission.
The vehicle’s coilover rear suspension uses a Watt’s link setup with a solid rear axle, while the dampers come courtesy of Fox Racing and the all-terrain 285/70 R17 rubber from BF Goodrich. A so-called “terrain management system” is furthermore included, offering six driving modes (normal and sport for on-road use and grass/gravel/snow, mud/sand, rock, and Baja modes for off-road use).
Watch the time-lapse video below…
