The Bronco Raptor is a true off-road beast with race-derived suspension, wider body, huge 37-inch wheels, and a 400-hp EcoBoost powertrain!
The SUV draws inspiration from the Ultra4 racing series and competes directly with the Wrangler Rubicon 392, which packs a more powerful V8, but can’t compete with the Bronco’s off-road bits.
Purposeful and Macho Design
Inspired by its sibling F-150 Raptor, the Bronco Raptor looks much more muscular and heftier, with many functional design cues.
Notably, the front fascia features bold Ford lettering alongside amber DRLs and marker lights highlighting the off-road focus of the truck. Moreover, the Bronco Raptor looks broader and taller thanks to wider tracks at the front and rear. In addition, a robust skid plate, recovery hooks, and a muscular hood with extractor vents sum up the Raptor’s front appearance.
Moving to the sides, the off-road theme is taken to the max with squared-off black wheel arches exposing the heavy-duty and standard 37″ BF Goodrich off-road tires on all four wheels.
Last but not least, the rear end sums up the muscular appearance with Bronco DR-inspired taillights, spare wheel, and eye-catching dual exhaust pipes.
Top-Tier Off-Road Equipment
Ford bestowed the Bronco Raptor with a suite of off-road equipment to demonstrate its prowess over other competitors.
One of the pillars of off-roading capabilities is suspension. Hence, the Raptor is fitted with Ford’s advanced HOSS (High-performance Off-road Stability Suspension); it uses Fox 3.1 Internal bypass semi-active dampers that work along with upgraded control arms, giving the truck 13″ of front travel and 14″ of rear travel. This indicates a mammoth 60% improvement in the front and 40% in the rear from the standard version.
Furthermore, the Dearborn carmaker brought in performance axles from the Bronco DR race truck with a semi-float Dana 50 Heavy-duty AdvanTEK (incl. 232 mm ring gear) at the rear plus a Dana 44 AdvanTEK unit (incl. 210 mm ring gear) at the front.
This kit, plus the standard 37-in tires, translates to superior off-road traction and high-speed stability.
However, we can’t ignore the beating heart that hauls this dune bashing, rock crawling, and trail dominating beast. The Bronco Raptor comes with an exclusive 3.0-liter EcoBoost V6 that pumps out an impressive 400 hp! The power goes to all four wheels (duh) via a 10-speed SelectShift auto transmission.
Raptor-Themed Interior
Inside the cabin, the SUV features Ford Performance and Raptor cues with orange accents visible on the dashboard, rotary dial, steering wheel, carpets, and seats. In addition, Ford included carbon fiber finishes on the steering wheel, dash, and gear knob.
Ford also bolstered up the leather and suede seats with extra padding to keep occupants comfy even during extreme off-roading situations. Lastly, a 12-inch digital driver’s cluster displays relevant information in various views along with the user-customizable GOAT (goes over any terrain) modes to adjust driving preferences.
Ford says that the Bronco Raptor will start at $69,995, which seems like a fair price for such an extreme off-road machine. Expect to see the SUV in dealerships beginning Spring 2022!
Gallery: Ford Bronco Raptor
