‘Great success for Ford Australia’ – showcasing the engineering talents and becoming a favourite corporate son in the global design centres, yes well done – but sales wise..
The old lame duck raptor was scorned by so many of the Ford faithful and they never published sales figures, – and worse, had this stupid denial thing going on where they couldn’t just admit that it was another AU Falcon style no-clothes emperor embarrassment.
Thank heavens they decided that privately they’d rectify this own goal and hats off, it’s obviously a great effort.
Pity that I went into a showroom 4 years ago, money at the ready after decades of buying Fords and was that disgusted with their insult, I changed brands.
Now I don’t need one anymore but the truck is so damned desirable that it’s fomo time
So free advice to Ford who won’t be in a hurry to listen as there’s waiting lists the old slug could only dream of, Do a Ranger Raptor HD.
Don’t worry about the diesel and leaf springs, you have the engineering nous to work around the payload/GCM – and most of us are growing past diesels with all their weight, complexity, maintenance costs and emissions systems failures (before you pay the extra 40c per litre).
Just give us extended trailing arms with auto air assist, 3200 towing, 18 x 9 wheels with 305 KO’s, 750kg payload and 6500 GCM.
If you believe that it’s not technically possible, you are sadly deficient.
If you make the commitment, we the superannuated public will buy those composite caravans and boats and transfer the rest of our cash to Ford for a decade.
| Price | $85,490 plus on-road costs |
| Colour of test car | Code Orange |
| Options | 17-inch beadlock-capable wheels – $2000 Prestige Paint – $675 Raptor decal pack – $500 |
| Price as tested | $88,665 plus on-road costs |
| Drive-away price | $95,401 (Sydney) |
As far as I’m aware, the Raptor outsold Ford’s own predictions a few times over. Engine could have been better, but I’m pretty sure it was a commercial and critical success.