A new breed

Raptor is a name synonymous with off-road racing, Baja 1000 big-bore petrol engines, and adrenaline-fuelled driving. And now it’s been filtered down to the Ranger. But, instead of the twin-turbo 3.5-litre V6 petrol in America’s latest F-150-based version, we get a sprightly 2.0-litre, twin-turbo, four-cylinder diesel. Does this mean that Ford has softened the brand, or does the mini-Raptor still cut it for the adrenaline junkie?

We went to the Aussie Outback for a flat-out drive to find out.

Under the bonnet

Although the engine is smaller than the 147kW five-cylinder 3.2-litre Duratorq that has made a name for Ford’s crop of T6 Ranger bakkies, the Raptor’s little 2.0-litre oil-burner produces more