The stripped down chassis of the Ford Ranger has been caught on camera as the Ranger Raptor is expected to launch in H2 2021 in India
On a flatbed transporter, the partly assembled chassis units of the Ranger pickup truck has been spied further fuelling the speculations that it will be launched in India next year. The chassis look brand new without the loading bay at the rear or exterior parts as it is stripped out. Having a similar platform as the Ford Endeavour should help in its arrival and it could brought in via homologation free route for imported 2,500 units.
As for India, the Raptor version of the Ranger will likely be launched in the second half of next year and since it sits at the top-of-the-range in the global portfolio, it could carry a price tag more than Rs. 75 lakh (ex-showroom). Only a limited allotment could be made for India initially, and we can expect it to be locally assembled if the demand makes any business case.
The Ranger pickup truck is widely renowned for its workhorse characteristics and of course off-roading. It will have a credible road presence as the pickup truck segment in India has not really caught on yet as in the Southeast Asian markets. We do hope more lifestyle based pickup to be brought into the country in the near future to help grow the culture.
Compared to the regular Ranger, the Raptor has a stiffened ladder frame construction and the front suspension bits are strengthened to carry additional load. In addition, the leaf springs are ditched in favour of a similar system as the Endeavour for more stability. It comes equipped with a 2.5-inch off-road racing coil-over springs and more than 30 per cent wheel travel along with upgraded shock absorbers.
Other highlights in the Ford Ranger Raptor are water wading depth of 800 mm and a massive ground clearance of 283 mm. The standard Ranger uses a 2.0-litre turbo Diesel engine developing a maximum power output of 165 horsepower and 420 Nm, and is mated to a ten-speed automatic transmission transferring power to all the four wheels.
The twin turbocharged version in the Raptor delivers 213 horsepower and 500 Nm of peak torque and is linked to a ten-speed AT. It boasts of six drive modes courtesy of the Terrain Management System such as Grass, Gravel, Snow and Rock Climbing.