Slightly beneath one yr after the petrol-powered, 3.0L biturbo V6 engine Ford Ranger Raptor emerged on the Malaysian market, the two.0L turbodiesel four-cylinder variant has been launched regionally this month.
As such, the three.0 litre petrol biturbo V6-powered variant that leads the present Ranger line-up is now joined by a 2.0L diesel variant. The latter continues to supply a tantalising different to the double-cab pick-up truck expertise for fans of high-performance off-roading, with the entry value for it set at RM248,888, on-the-road with out insurance coverage.
This makes it precisely RM11,000 cheaper than the V6 petrol model, which is priced at RM259,888 (OTR with out insurance coverage). What do you get from that barely much less hefty price ticket and a special powertrain? We had the chance to learn how the oil-burner measures up, placing it to the take a look at towards the V6 across the hills of Sa Pa, within the Lao Cai province of Vietnam.
Outwardly there’s treasured little that distinguishes the Ranger Raptor 2.0 Bi-Turbo Diesel – to provide the variant its full identify – from its petrol-powered twin with the three.0L EcoBoost V6 beneath its bonnet. Even its exterior is all however equivalent, save for the pair of exhaust retailers on the three.0L petrol variant. The diesel reverts to the common Ranger structure of a single pipe that terminates deeper beneath the car.
Transferring inside, the diesel Raptor’s inside follows that seen on the three.0L V6 petrol, replete with the orange highlights signifying the variant’s identification. Occupants nonetheless get entry to the clear, portrait-oriented 12-inch touchscreen, which affords wi-fi Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity.
Whereas the Thai-spec diesel we sampled in northern Vietnam was specified with a six-speaker unbranded audio setup as a substitute of the petrol variant’s Bang & Olufsen ensemble, our Malaysian market diesel variant has the identical system as seen on the three.0L V6 petrol. Connectivity by way of Apple CarPlay is simple, and streamed audio high quality by means of the B&O setup is about pretty much as good as could be anticipated from a pick-up truck.
Away from the cosmetics, there are concessions in reverting to the diesel powertrain, nevertheless. For a begin, the diesel variant brings again the comparatively rattly diesel signature that’s par for the pick-up truck course, and though advances within the powertrain kind have introduced appreciable refinement through the years, sampling a petroleum engine just like the V6-powered Raptor drives house the distinction in audible smoothness between the 2. The multi-cylinder thrum from the petrol unit provides to the sense of event too.
Supply of energy and torque is barely extra gradual from low RPM on the three.0L V6 petrol, which builds revs strongly to its 583 Nm and 397 PS peak figures for torque and horsepower, respectively. Past the headlining output figures, the two.0L diesel naturally additionally concedes to the petrol by way of rev vary and aural high quality.
The hilly environment of our car testing location in Sa Pa was double-edged in a way. Whereas providing terrain that was difficult sufficient to train a few of a pick-up truck’s off-roading credentials, it was largely low-speed driving throughout the confines of tight, twisty hillside roads, with the occasional foray into city, which remained low-speed anyway.
Whereas nothing just like the chaos of Ho Chi Minh Metropolis and even Hanoi, drivers – particularly visiting ones resembling our contingent – nonetheless very a lot wanted to have one’s eyes on stalks and head on a swivel within the confines of a village like this, as a result of one-way signage for locals on these roads are however merely ideas. Reporting of the diesel-powered Ranger Raptor’s freeway driving traits at any size will thus want to attend for a neighborhood stint.
Likewise, that of the differential configuration. The diesel Raptor makes do with only one limited-slip differential on the rear axle, whereas the petrol will get entrance and rear LSDs. On the drive, the diesel acquitted itself properly throughout demonstrations, however maybe extra rigorous testing is required to see if the shortage of a entrance locking differential alters efficiency elements.
That mentioned, we will inform you that the diesel variant all however matches the three.0L V6 petrol on the chassis entrance, with a key distinction performed out by the slight distinction in damper specification.
Whereas the petrol model will get the Stay Valve 2.5-inch inner bypass items from famend suspension elements maker Fox, which modify damping charges as much as 500 occasions a second, the damper items within the diesel model do with out the Stay Valve characteristic.
The petrol and diesel variations of the Ranger Raptor we sampled in Vietnam have been on totally different off-road programs, although there was ample overlap that confirmed the Stay Valve-equipped petrol variant to have a barely extra refined trip in addition to physique management over the same rock crawl and river crossing path.
Moreover, our colleague Farid had a quick run within the 2.0L diesel Ranger Raptor on a brief grime course laid out on the variant’s Malaysian launch venue, and he concurred that the non-Stay Valve-suspended Ranger Raptor is simply ever so barely much less intuitive over terrain modifications taken at velocity than the petrol model.
That is relative, as a result of taken within the context of the Ranger line-up as a complete, the Raptor variant’s extra fortified chassis development, together with its Fox dampers, is instantly apparent within the tighter management of its physique actions over tough terrain in comparison with normal Ranger variants.
Chassis motion on the Raptor are significantly better tied down, and the entire truck negotiates terrain in additional built-in trend when in comparison with a normal 2.0L diesel-powered Ranger variant, as proven in a back-to-back sampling with a unit shut in specification to our market’s Wildtrak variant.
With that in thoughts, a lot of the Ranger Raptor’s premium over its extra mainstream siblings is due to this fact held in its off-roading fitout, each structurally and in accoutrements. So then, who’s the two.0L diesel Ranger Raptor for?
Like with the petrol variant, the diesel Raptor is aimed on the purchaser who desires and has use for its augmented off-road capabilities, notably when exercised at increased speeds, and who appreciates the truck mattress as a bonus. Granted, the Raptor has a fractionally decrease payload score in comparison with its rangemates, however nobody who will get one is basically going to be bothered by this.
That is true of each the petrol and diesel variants, so the place the diesel holds an higher hand is in gasoline vary. Each get an 80-litre gasoline tank, and on the three.0L V6 in Vietnam, a display-stated vary of round 330 km from a full tank was indicated, with the diesel exhibiting roughly double that.
Nevertheless, the petrol Ranger Raptors throughout the take a look at had been subjected to very exhausting operating to exhibit Baja Mode for a previous group, fairly often at huge open throttle, whereas the diesels got a comparatively extra sedate deployment over muddy ruts and rock crawls.
Whereas gasoline vary doesn’t yield an precisely apples-to-apples pairing on this event, it does infer that the diesel is the one to have for the would-be purchaser who’s in search of the off-road trappings of the Ranger Raptor, with out having to cease for gasoline fairly as usually. The petrol V6, by comparability, yields stronger efficiency at velocity and brings a extra tuneful engine observe.
Within the context of the RM248,888 price ticket for the diesel-powered Ranger Raptor versus the RM259,888 sticker for its petrol twin, RM11k doesn’t actually put a lot daylight between the 2, so it could come down to at least one’s supposed utilization.
At this finish of the pick-up truck market in Malaysia, the costs requested could also be robust to justify within the face of chilly, cost-driven logic. On the flip facet, if a premium sedan on this value vary is on the playing cards as a second or third automotive in a single’s secure, the Raptor will no absolutely little doubt supply a lot attraction, in a placing, different approach.
For individuals who have the chance to deploy the Ranger Raptor’s off-road capabilities at velocity, the three.0L V6 is definitely the ticket, whereas those that log loads of freeway mileage however nonetheless admire this very completed chassis, the two.0L Bi-Turbo diesel is worthy of significant consideration, and never only for its value benefit.
2023 Ford Ranger Raptor in Vietnam, official photographs
