The first-ever production 2018 Ford Ranger Raptor has rolled off the line at Ford’s Thailand factory in Rayong.

THE 2018 FORD RANGER RAPTOR will launch to motoring media in late July – Practical Motoring will be in attendance. Today, Ford released a video of the Raptor rolling off the line at its Thailand factory in Rayong.

“The Ranger Raptor is truly the ultimate Ranger. With its bold appearance and extreme, off-road performance features, the Ranger Raptor represents a new and distinctive breed of truck for the region,” said Yukontorn ‘Vickie’ Wisadkosin, president, Ford ASEAN.

The Ranger Raptor gets a 2.0-litre four-cylinder Bi-Turbo diesel producing 157kW/500Nm through a 10-speed automatic – this on-paper engine has been heavily panned by keyboard warriors but defended by our Robert Pepper HERE.

The Ranger Raptor comes with the same tweaked version of Ford’s Terrain Management System as the F-150 Raptor. This includes, six modes for various driving experiences, which can be selected via a dedicated five-button switch located on the steering wheel. It is 2WD with 4WD High- and Lo-range which is selected via a dial next to the gear selector.

The driving modes are:

• Normal mode – Emphasising comfort, fuel economy and driveability
• Sport mode – Responsive for spirited on-road driving. This means fast, crisp gear shifts at higher engine speeds to aid throttle response. The mapping reacts to increased demand inputs from the driver by holding gears longer and downshifting more aggressively.
• Grass/Gravel/Snow mode – Designed to inspire safe and confident driving on off-road slippery and uneven surfaces. This is done through smoother gear shifts and second-gear starts, minimizing the probability of wheel slip.
• Mud/Sand mode – Vehicle responsiveness is tuned for optimum traction and momentum in deep, deformable surfaces like loose sand and mud. This is achieved by maintaining lower gears with high torque.
• Rock mode – Used specifically for low-speed rocky terrain where smooth controllability is key.
• Baja mode – Vehicle responsiveness is tuned for high-speed off-road performance; vehicle systems like Traction Control are pared back in terms of intervention to allow spirited off-road driving without fighting the vehicle’s on-board systems. Gear selection is optimized for maximum performance, and the mapping will hold gears longer and downshift more aggressively.

The Ranger Raptor is bigger than a garden variety Ranger, measuring 1873mm tall, 2180mm wide and 5398mm long, with wider front and rear tracks at 1710mm. Ground clearance is increased to 283mm (although this is a figure we believe to be wrong), while the approach angle of 32.5°, ramp over angle of 24°, and departure angle of 24° put it at the top of the production vehicle pick-up segment.

The Ranger Raptor is priced from $74,990+ORC and is available in five bold and enticing colors, including the new and unique Conquer Grey, as well as Lightning Blue, Race Red, Shadow Black and Frozen White.