Ford Performance’s newest sport truck, the Ranger Raptor, has arrived on European shores with journalists getting a first taste of the the F-150 Raptor’s smaller and slower sibling.
From the get-go, we’ll tell you that unlike North America’s fully-fledged Raptor, the performance Ranger won’t impress you with it’s straight-line figures. Naught to 100 km/h (0-62 mph) takes a modest 10.5 seconds and top speed is 170 km/h (106 mph).
When looking at the engine, it all makes sense why it’s on the slower side: it uses a 2.0-liter, four-cylinder diesel with twin turbochargers, coupled to a 10-speed automatic transmission. Output stands at 213 PS (210 hp / 157 kW) with peak torque at 500 Nm (369 lb-ft).
Also Watch: Consumer Reports Gets Its Hands On 2019 Ford Ranger 2.3L Turbo
Ford’s performance division heavily revised the chassis to improve its handling off the road, including the use of coil instead of leaf springs at the back, which resulted in lower payload and towing capacities than what you’d get in the normal Ranger. Another downside is that due to the new suspension, it no longer qualifies as a commercial vehicle in the United Kingdom. Speaking of which, you’ll have to fork out £48,000 ($61,825/€55,183) over there to buy one, tax included, or about £10,000 ($12,880/€11,496) more than any other Ranger.
For the money, you do get that upgraded chassis, elevated ground clearance, wider tracks, bigger brakes, BF Goodrich tires wrapped around the 17-inch wheels, among other changes. The interior is also sportier and doesn’t miss out on the leather trim.
So, is it actually worth paying that much for a one-ton pickup with a diesel engine? Autocar gave it a go, though not on the tarmac, but on bumpy terrains, where it found that it’s pretty enjoyable to drive. But is it £48k worth of fun? Find out by watching the video review below.