Ford Ranger Raptor - Five Best Features You Should Know

There are many beast features found in the Ford Ranger Raptor. I have enlisted five of them here which suits the Filipino taste and needs.

1. The Distinct FORD Grill

Nothing is more Filipino than being proud of your property. In certain provinces, many Filipino families even post copies of their children’s achievements outside their residences as tarps of marble plates (ala lapida ng patay) for the neighbors to see. Thus, the huge and seemingly obnoxious FORD grill foots the bill, as the Raptor makes its way in Philippine streets and highways. It’s very distinctive as it’s only available in the Raptor variant.

2. The Terrain Management System

The Raptor is born with the Ford Performance DNA, distinctively found in its body kits, Fox Racing Shocks in its suspension system, wheels and more. It’s made to be ready. Although Filipinos usually like to modify things (think of the local jeepneys and tricycles), many also look for readiness as one Filipino trait. Imagine living in an archipelago where regular typhoons, landslides, storm surges and volcano eruptions occur. One better get ready for every eventuality. The Raptor is like this. It is proven to navigate any terrain in the country. Mud, grass, or sand, the Raptor is ready to move places.

3. The Performance Cockpit

The Raptor is often criticized in its interior, that it’s not Raptor-y in feel as it’s very similar to the other Ranger pickup trucks inside the cockpit. But the Raptor is bent on performance and not on features that could just be distractions on the road. Just like Filipinos who like to keep it simple, the simple yet snug interior of the Raptor offers leather and suede seats with blue stitches which complements the Ford brand. I don’t know but the little red strip on the steering wheel of the Raptor is enough to make my adrenaline rush!

(Images from Ford website)

4. 10 Speed Flyshift Automatic Transmission

As the whole world gears up to automatic transmission (err, maybe not Europe?) but Filipinos like a trusty manual car. Look at car groups online and everyone’s boasting the manual car’s fuel economy and reliability. It’s Filipino to choose a manual because of costs in fuel and parts but also because it reflects dependability and skill. Well sadly the Raptor is not a manual, but fret not, it has a flyshift automatic transmission! This means that the driver can drive the Raptor as though a manual and not only that, one can skip gears without matching and waiting for enough engine revs. The transmission system always complements how the engine runs, and the 2.0L Bi-Turbo diesel engine, although powerful with 213hp and 500Nm of torque, cannot perform well without the transmission. The Raptor’s flyshift transmission is best to handle its engine to achieve optimum performance.  

5. It’s not only equipped with Baja mode but baha-proof as well

Baha or floods can be a typical Filipino nightmare. With half the year on rainy season, cars can often find themselves in situation not ideal for its survivability. With 283mm of ground clearance and 33-inches of all-terrain tires, the Raptor is one of the tallest personal vehicles out in the Philippine market. Typical knee-deep floods can be likened to puddle crossing and the Raptor can do water wading for up to 850mm. Its tough chassis and giant bash plate also protects the Raptor with whatever is on the flood water. Now, that is what it’s meant by all-terrain!

All in all, the Ford Ranger Raptor is a pickup truck to love and admire. It’s sold at PhP 2.048 million pesos according to the Ford PH website. If you are patient, though, wait for the latest iteration of the Raptor and Ranger line-up as Ford releases it soon.