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To surpass a master, you pay a debt: anyone who likes to combine literary aphorisms with automotive product planning knows this.
Ford’s dizzying reboot of the US-market Bronco wouldn’t exist without the latest version of the Australian-engineered Ford Ranger T6: same platform, same underlying technology.
We already know we love the best version of the Ranger, the Raptor: howling petrol V6, bouncy Fox Live Valve adaptive suspension, crazy Baja mode. But is the Bronco Raptor an even wilder version of the wildest Ranger? After an all-too-brief drive in Detroit, we’d say yes.
For starters, just look at this: Sure, it’s an SUV, not a ute, but it’s absurdly wide with those flared fenders, and it rides on squiggly 37-inch off-road tires (sorry, “tyres”) as standard. The extra girth is something Ford couldn’t achieve with the Ranger Raptor, even though the previous version was indeed wider than the workhorse/lifestyle versions: the new Ranger is already spread out to the side, and anything wider just wouldn’t do for production in Thailand .
The Bronco Raptor is not for the shy, especially when fully decked out like our test car. It’s the same inside: the interior is completely different from the Ranger, even more massive and colorful, with a bunch of visual “Easter egg” details that are clearly inspired by the Bronco’s arch rival, the Jeep Wrangler/Gladiator. The Bronco also has removable doors and can be converted into a four-door convertible…again, like the Wrangler.
By the way, Jeep in turn responded to the Bronco Raptor with desert-rated Mojave models. Eye for a tooth and terror on the sand comprehensively.
The Bronco Raptor’s powertrain is similar to the Ranger: a twin-turbo 3.0-liter V6 gasoline (312 kW/597 Nm), 10-speed automatic, and four-wheel drive with various drive modes, which the Bronco body calls GOAT. It’s good for any terrain, folks. ha ha
No, we didn’t get to try the Bronco Raptor in its natural off-road environment, other than a few gravel skids that the local authorities were foolish enough to leave lying around. But on the road, it just calls for bad behavior. The V6’s soundtrack is more of a hyperactive wail than a guttural roar, which gets the adrenaline pumping even more.
The chassis grips perfectly on the road, but those squishy monster tires and quirky Fox suspension components cause squirming in the corners, resulting in a circus of steering and throttle movements. Or you could just slow down… but who wants to do that?
Unfortunately, there’s still no sign of a factory right-hand drive version of the Bronco, and given the Ranger’s popularity in New Zealand, you could argue that it would still be an indulgence/extravagance. Again, this is an idea.
No doubt it will be a premium product. In the US, the Bronco Raptor is slightly more expensive than the F-150 Raptor, which is, of course, bigger and more powerful – if not quite as extreme-sport oriented.
FORD BRONCO RAPTOR
ENGINE: 3.0-liter twin-turbo gasoline V6
POWER: 312 kW/597 Nm
TRANSMISSION: 10-speed automatic, all-wheel drive with a low gear
CONSUMPTION: 14.7 l/100 km
PRICE: n/a
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