I don’t normally cover off-road vehicles here because they aren’t really my thing, but when I saw this Ford at the Australian GP, I had to take a closer look. It’s what you call a “rally raid” vehicle and is specially built to tackle the harshest terrain on planet Earth – most notably the Saudi Arabian sand dunes in the “Dakar” Rally. I don’t know if I’m legally allowed to say that but anyway, this machine is wild and completely bespoke.
Nothing about this car is based on an actual “Raptor” – whether that be an F-150, Ranger or Bronco. Every part of this car is designed for endurance in the most demanding conditions. The overhangs are non-existent for crazy approach and departure angles, the ride height is really high to handle all the rough surfaces and the suspension soaks it up with insane rebound and compression capabilities.
The car is powered by a 5 litre V8 that is not used in any production vehicle bearing the Raptor name, which makes things even more confusing. It is however a Ford engine akin to the one found in the Mustang – albeit modified extensively. This just serves to re-iterate how extreme these rally raid machines are. When there aren’t a heap of rules to follow, manufacturers will make the best car they possibly can with the money and resources they have allocated to the cause.
For Ford, their off-road hijinks are a big part of the brand so a dedicated effort in rally raid competition gives legitimacy to their production models, even if they aren’t directly related. This is a classic marketing approach to shift more Ranger Raptors off the lot here in Australia, and F-150s in the US. It’s just one of the many motorsport facets that Ford is involved with.
There are a few more features I must mention here in this post. The chunky tyres equipped on this car are again designed to handle nasty obstacles that would wreck those on your Ranger. In addition, the wheels are bead-locked so when the tyre does get punctured, it doesn’t fall of the rim. The car also comes with spare tyres and air jacks so the driver and navigator can easily get themselves out of trouble and keep going.
When you’re a long way from civilisation, you need a vehicle that can accomodate equipment to get you out of a pickle. Self-sufficiency is a key component in a relentless competition that can be soo cruel in the scorching Arabian heat. It’s a true test of both driver and machine against the elements, which will strike you down indescriminately if you make the wrong move. Whatever the challenge though, this Ford will rise to it.
DevMacCars 