Feb 2023 marks 11 months since the launch of Ford’s Ranger Raptor. It might not be a headline grabber in some parts of the world, but in countries with terrains shaped like playgrounds, it was groundbreaking stuff - top-of-the-line Ranger making its global debut in Thailand - twin turbo petrol-powered V6. Unheard of in the world of utes, going for Toyota Camry money. Sounded like a winning recipe, and it sure was…
Press pics plastered the Ranger Raptor in striking orange hue, but even that couldn’t draw our attention away from twin tail pipes aligned at waist height. In a world where milo tin style mufflers make way for those hidden behind integrated rear bumper cut-outs if you’re lucky, Ford applied formulas from archive's best bits not on their flagship supercar or upcoming EVs, but their trusty, arguably most recognisable vehicle on the menu.
Imagine making the only petrol-powered truck in a country where diesels are so well received, Bear in mind that current gens of 320d and C220d are still being sold, blinged up by M Sport and AMG packages. For the Mazda 2, only diesel can be ordered in top spec trim, 25% more costly than the nearest 1.3-litre petrol powered sibling. Does a high revving, fuel guzzling (6km/l if you’re lucky) truck make sense for Thailand? Nope, but why not?
Granted, customers of previous Raptors had been crying out loud for them to be petrol powered. After all, Raptor buyer profiles lean towards treating mud paths as playgrounds, rather than avenues for seasonal harvests. It’s a pity - over the months I’ve seen the Raptor evolve to be sort of a “flex” mobile for the well heeled. Baha mode on empty tollways? Yes we’ve seen them being activated on tarmac as smooth as silk. I guess such behaviours are not country-specific.
Waiting lists have stretched for months, and even values in classifieds have held very steady. With a THB1,860,000 launch price (figures crept towards THB2 million early this year), I couldn’t think of another locally made vehicle with such a favourable price / performance ratio. It’s no low slung sports car, but numbers on paper are as intimidating as its hulking presence. 400bhp and 583Nm - the latter not uncommon for trucks. It’s the horsepower rating that stands out.
Finally, there’s a vehicle with torque and horsepower to match most performance cars and it’s proudly made in Thailand. The nearest locally made “rival” might be the 2.0-litre Civic e:HEV with 184ps and 315Nm, quite impressive too given that it hits 100km/h in under 8 seconds (yet achieve a mind-bending 20km/l). But at THB1.2 million, bang for buck ratio still flatters the Raptor.
Ford has plugged the gap so convincingly that even regional car journos (notably in Malaysia and Australia) placed orders. Even more impressive when Raptors, when exported, command premiums that cost more than luxury SUVs in their home market. Regardless, big thumbs up for Ford Thailand to debut the Raptor in Thailand, for the car world to realise that one need not always have to follow the crowd…
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