Few vehicles have tapped the Australian automotive zeitgeist in recent times the way the original Ford Ranger Raptor did.

When released in 2019 it caused an immediate stir, with its exaggerated ride height and wide stance giving it the look of an off-road racer driven straight out of California’s Baja desert racing series.

For 4x4 ute enthusiasts looking for something with a sporting edge and who could afford its steep price tag, the Raptor was a must-have item and Ford booked plenty of profit and no small amount of kudos off its stellar sales.

Fast forward three years and the new Raptor has debuted, following closely in the tracks of its stablemates the Ford Ranger ute and the Everest SUV.

All three models are based on Ford’s Australian-designed and engineered T6 platfom, one of Australia’s biggest ever automotive engineering projects.

The Raptor is in many ways the crowning glory of this massive global design and engineering project, which will see the various T6-based models sold in more than 180 markets worldwide.

Despite being based on the same platform and sharing many of its underpinnings with the Ranger ute and Everest SUV, the Raptor is very much its own beast with individualistic styling and so many modifications and upgrades over the Ranger that it is effectively an all-new model.

Perhaps the first thing you notice about the new model is that it doesn’t have the same exaggerated wide-track stance as its predecessor, which looked like its over-sized wheels were about to burst from its wheel arches.

But it’s actually an illusion because the new Raptor sits on a wheelbase that’s 50mm longer and it has a 50mm wider track than its predecessor.

The extra space has allowed engineers to relocate and replace key chassis and suspension components.

Despite bearing the Ranger name and having obvious styling similarities, the Raptor had its own design process and wears its own ‘top hat’ as Ford designers refer to the vehicle body.

Designers took the opportunity to stamp this new Raptor with individualistic style, including bold F-O-R-D lettering stretching across grille, flared wheel arches, functional venting behind the front guard, and unique cast aluminium side steps.

There’s also the choice of two different 17-inch alloy wheel designs, each wrapped in chunky 33-inch BF Goodrich All-Terrain KO2 tyres.

The signature C-Clamp headlights and taillights of the other T6-based models are still there and the basic form is familial Ranger, with its strong body side character lines and lamps chamfered into the body work. But there’s enough styling differentiation to ensure the Raptor is instantly recognisable as its own entity.

Optional decal packs with a technical geometrical theme provide another way for owners to reinforce the ute’s individualistic styling.

On the safety front the Raptor features the same Matrix LED headlamps available on the top-spec Ranger Wildtrak, featuring dynamic bending, glare-free high beam and auto dynamic levelling.

Elsewhere, the comprehensive standard safety kit includes intelligent adaptive cruise control with stop and go, traffic sign recognition and lane centring, intelligent speed assist, blind-spot monitoring with cross-traffic alert and trailer coverage, dynamic stability control, evasive steer assist, lane keeping aid with road edge detection, driver alert system, tyre pressure monitoring system and more.

Inside, there’s an all-new interior that largely follows the design cues established by the Ranger but adds ambient lighting and a leather-stitched steering wheel with embossed Raptor logo and rally-style 12 o'clock marking at the top.

The interior also features ‘code orange’ stitching accents on the dash and electrically adjusted sports bucket seats, the latter with prominent side bolsters and Raptor lettering.

The instrument panel is covered in a suede effect material to further emphasize the sports theme.

Seated high in the cab, the driver faces a high-resolution 12.4-inch digital instrument cluster offering different views according to the selected mode, plus turn-by-turn navigation and a host of other information.

A large vertical-oriented 12-inch colour touchscreen at the centre of the dash provides access to most other vehicle functions, including a short-cut button to access the Raptor’s off-road systems.

When enabled, the dedicated off-road screen includes specific information including steering angle, pitch and roll angles, predictive track overlays and a 360-degree camera with split-view display that enables zoomable views of the front, rear, side and overhead.

Other standard features include wireless smartphone charging, SYNC 4A connectivity and entertainment system, Apple and Android wireless smartphone connectivity, and a Bang & Olufsen sound system.

Elsewhere, the Raptor’s formidable off-road armoury includes a seven-mode terrain control system, high and low-range gearing, front and rear locking differentials, a high-strength steel front bash plate, engine and transfer case guards, twin rated tow hooks at the front and rear, BF Goodrich tyres, and unique underbody mounts and reinforcements.

The permanent four-wheel drive system features an electronically controlled two-speed transfer case, with the drivetrain and traction systems controlled via a console-mounted dial.

There are seven different terrain modes, including Normal, Sport, Slippery, Rock, Mud and Ruts, Sand and the performance-oriented Baja.

Even within these parameters there’s room to customise, for instance to have the Baja mode on in 2H, or to switch the traction control off completely.

Ford says its research shows customers want the ability to individually customise the Ranger’s various traction and performance systems, including steering, suspension, engine and auto transmission response.

While the last Raptor was a deadset hit, one area where it always felt a bit underdone was in the engine department.

Despite all its bad-boy, wide-track looks, its 2.0-litre four-cylinder biturbo diesel wasn’t exactly the sort of fire-breathing unit performance enthusiasts craved. But the new model rectifies that, with the fitment of a punchy 3.0-litre twin turbo petrol V6 that makes this the most powerful production Ranger ever.

The engine makes a muscular 292kW at 5650rpm and 583Nm at 3500rpm, driving all four wheels via a slick shifting 10-speed automatic.

By way of comparison, the final edition Falcon-based FPV Pursuit ute released in 2014 extracted 315kW /545Nm from its supercharged 5.0-litre V8, so the Raptor’s heady outputs are up there with some of the best fast Fords.

Among other features the engine boasts anti-lag turbocharger technology when in Baja mode that’s designed to keep the turbos spinning for up to three seconds after you lift off the throttle, so that when you get back on the gas you have near instant power.

Ford doesn’t publish a 0-100km/h time for the Raptor but various media outlets have published times in the 5.7 to 6.0 seconds zone, with the former figure being lineball with the Blue Oval’s recently discontinued performance hero the Focus ST hot hatch, so it doesn’t hang about.   

Thankfully, the fiddly side-mounted gear-shift toggle on the Ranger-Everest’s e-shifter gear lever has been ditched in favour of large magnesium paddle shifters mounted behind the multifunction sports steering wheel.

The wheel itself also offers shortcut controls for the Raptor’s various adjustable modes, including the exhaust note.

The latter offers four different ‘mild to wild’ modes courtesy of electronically controlled active exhaust system valves that adjust from Quiet, through to the growling Baja.

Ford claims its engineers spent hundreds of hours trying to get the exhaust notes from the twin system right, trialling a range of different combinations before settling on the eventual 2.5-inch pipes with twin resonators.

Elsewhere under its skin the Raptor features a reinforced frame structure including upgraded front shock towers and unique spare tyre mount, for enhanced rigidity and durability.

Suspension is via lightweight aluminium upper and lower front control arms, and revised Watt’s link coil-spring rear suspension, with anodised Fox 2.5-inch diameter live-valve internal bypass shock absorbers.

These off-road racing-inspired adaptive dampers are the key to the Raptor’s phenomenal pace across broken terrain.

The front shocks are a conventional coil-over design, but the rear units feature external oil reservoirs which allow the shocks to handle far greater punishment while delivering superior bump absorption ability.

Offering six different damping zones and utilising sensors located around the vehicle that monitor driver and vehicle inputs the smart shocks can automatically adjust their damping rates at each corner 500 times a second.

With the suspension adapting in real time the Raptor exhibits exceptional body control whether on road or hammering across off-road corrugations and ruts.

Combined with the Raptor’s best in class front and rear suspension travel, the adaptive dampers endow it with serious high and low-speed off-road ability.

The system can automatically stiffen the rear shocks under hard acceleration to prevent excess rear squat, getting rid of the pitch that was common with the previous model, making the car feel more balanced.

Out on the road the setup strikes a good balance between ride quality and handling precision.

In combination with new electronic power steering that boasts a faster ratio and improved on-centre feel, the big 2500-kg ute feels impressively well balanced.

You wouldn’t say it’s nimble exactly, but for a big vehicle it feels light on its feet.

The engine is responsive enough in standard mode, but switch things up to Baja and it exhibits a real performance edge, accompanied by a deep-chested exhaust note that fits the he-man styling. The 10-speed auto transmission shifts smoothly and keenly, while body roll is nicely controlled through bends.

The improvements to steering feel over the old model are tangible, as is the ability to get the power down early out of bends and the reduction in squat and pitch.

Such commentary about a 2.5-tonne ute might seem more in keeping with a performance car but that is precisely what the Raptor is, albeit one that can carry a load of timber in the back and blast across paddocks at inordinate pace.

A muddy rally-cross style track carved through a farm paddock provided the opportunity to test the car in just such an environment and the combination of its punchy twin turbo V6 engine, long travel suspension, multiple terrain control options and terrific traction made for some eye-opening hot laps.

Elsewhere, the Raptor features many of the user-oriented features introduced on the Ranger, including the integrated trailer brake controller and all-round zone lighting for when working around the ute at night.

There’s also an overhead-mounted six-position auxiliary switch board which can be hooked up to light bars, air compressors and other electrical equipment.

Also present is the wider tray that now holds a Euro pallet, standard spray in bed liner, 12-volt socket in the tray, tailgate cargo clamps, and the handy cargo bed side steps.

On the debit side, the Raptor’s circa $85,000 price tag is a solid $15,000 more expensive than a fully loaded Ranger Wildtrak Dual Cab 3.0-litre turbo-diesel V6.

Its 2,500kg braked towing ability is also well shy of the Ranger’s 3,500kg limit, while its 708kg payload trails the Wildtrak V6’s 997kg. And, at 11.5L/100km, the Raptor chugs 3.0L/100km more fuel than its milder mannered diesel stablemate.   

Of course, most Raptors like most Porsches will spend most of their time doing sensible urban commuting, to worksites or similar.

But should owners be game to test the mettle of their ute in an environment they’re designed to handle, I’ll warrant they’ll give a good account of themselves in Australia’s equivalent of the Baja 1000, the Finke Desert Race.  

Key stats

• RETAIL PRICE: $85,490 (MRLP)
• ENGINE: 3.0-litre V6 Twin Turbo EcoBoost (292kW/583Nm)
• ANCAP SAFETY RATING: Not rated   
• BODY STYLE: Dual cab utility  
• FUEL CONSUMPTION: (Combined): 11.5L/100km (262g/km CO2)
• FOR: Strong twin-turbo V6 performance, amazing low and high-speed off-road ability, individualistic styling, good technology package.
• AGAINST: Price, fuel consumption, reduced payload and braked towing capacity versus Ranger, no ANCAP rating.