Why Pros With Automotive Careers Are Looking Forward to the New Ford Ranger Raptor

automotive careers

Ford recently unveiled the Ford Raptor Ranger, a baby version of its Ford F150 Raptor, in Thailand. The reveal of this mighty-looking mid-size truck tailor-made for speedy off-road action has left many fans starry-eyed. However, at this point, the marvelous vehicle will only be available in the Asia-Pacific market, likely making a mark tearing up the Australian outback.

Enthusiasts are clamoring for information as to when and if the vehicle will make it to North America, and there is good reason to believe that it will soon! To find out what this might mean for Ford and about what makes the Ford Ranger Raptor such a gem to potentially look forward to, keep reading!

The Ranger Raptor Is Expected to Make a Mark in the Area of Off-Road Mid-Size Trucks

Ford is more well known in North America for its heavy-duty F-150 series, whereas it hasn’t been quite active in the area of mid-size trucks. Ford did have a Ranger truck on the market at one point but it was discontinued in 2011 due to low popularity. Over the following years, Ford focused its mid-size Ranger sales on the Asia-Pacific market while the larger F-150, including its high-flying Raptor version, reigned on the North American continent. Recently, however, mid-size trucks have started making a comeback!

With some popular mid-size off-roaders out there like GM’s Chevy Colorado ZR2, the upcoming Jeep Scrambler, and Toyota considering releasing a new HiLux, it’s prime time for Ford to make a North American reappearance in this class. Since Ford announced that the Ranger will in fact return to the continent in 2019 and the Ranger Raptor was just revealed in Thailand, car fans are really hoping this amazing vehicle will soon be destined for the likes of Canada as well.

Ford Delivers an Adaptable Terrain Management System Complete With Baja Mode

What can North American drivers potentially look forward to? For starters, it will offer 210 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque, thanks to its twin-turbo 2.0-liter diesel inline-four engine. The Ford Ranger Raptor can also be driven on almost any terrain with its six-mode Terrain Management System. These modes are meant to assist the driver on various surfaces by altering stability control, throttle and transmission mapping, ABS modes, and more. What are these legendary modes? Only Normal and Sport serve as on-road settings while drivers can go exploring more challenging terrain with the aid of Grass/Gravel/Snow, Mud/Sand, Rock, or Baja.

Professionals with an automotive career might just be familiar with this curiosity-piquing Baja Mode function, something Ford first introduced in its 2017 F-150 truck and is bringing back in the Ranger Raptor. The inspiration behind the name is the formidable Baja 1000 off-road race that has been taking place for over half a century in Baja California, Mexico. As the inspiration suggests, Baja Mode is designed for high-speed desert performance.

Most fundamentally, Baja Mode alters the way the car’s traction control and transmission work as it speeds across an off-road expanse. Gears are held down longer in the rev range and will shift more quickly while traction and stability control are reduced, allowing the vehicle to tear around more seamlessly.

See what Baja Mode looks like up close in this short clip:

Automotive Career Pros Will Really Marvel at the Ranger Raptor’s Off-Road Engineering

Not only can car enthusiasts marvel at the Ranger Raptor’s multiple special modes for high-speed off-road action, they can also admire the truck’s engineering, specially made to complement the modifiable driving settings and accommodate any rough terrain underneath its chassis. Harsh changes in gradient are no problem for the Ranger Raptor as it boasts an approach angle of 32.5°, a break-over angle of 24°, and a departure angle of 24°. Graduates of a mechanic program are sure to find admirable the truck’s ground clearance of 283 mm and the 2.3 mm steel bashplates that protect the car’s inner organs. Off-road capacity is fortified by coil-sprung Watt’s rear-end suspension with coil-over Fox Racing Shox dampers. With these kinds of features, it’s really ready to handle some serious jumps, and Canada is ready to see it in person!

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