Right here it’s, the 2022 Ford Bronco Raptor, and it seems each bit the exaggerated and overbuilt off-roader that we hoped for and anticipated. And with the reveal, Ford has detailed a lot of what makes the Raptor so beastly (if not fairly the whole lot, extra on that shortly). So let’s dive in.
Exterior
Most likely the very first thing you may discover concerning the Bronco Raptor is that it is extensive. The monitor has been elevated by 8.6 inches, a mixture of suspension upgrades and the usual 37-inch tires. To accommodate the width, the precise fenders have been punched out a bit, dropping a few of the aspect character line, and the fender flares have been stretched. They’ve a extra squared-off design, too.
However the fats fenders are only the start. Up entrance will get the Raptor’s signature grille with block “FORD” lettering and three of the 5 mandated lights for extensive automobiles. The grille is opened up extra for higher cooling, too. Hood vents additionally contribute to that mission, whereas entrance fender vents assist to scale back the construct up of air stress beneath the entrance finish at velocity. Beneath the nostril is a fair thicker skid plate than what’s obtainable on common Broncos, together with full underbody safety for the engine, transmission, switch case and gas tank. The bumper additionally contains beefy tow hooks and Inflexible Industries LED fog lights. The outer fogs are capped-off for highway use due to lighting restrictions, however are shortly eliminated for off-road use.
Rock rails now have metal aspect steps which are coated in a bedliner-style materials. Understanding that there could also be instances they seem to be a hindrance off highway, Ford made them bolt-on models with outward-facing bolts. The manufacturing facility device package contains the correct-size driver to take away them at a second’s discover. Even the mirrors get an replace within the type of outboard marker lights required of extensive highway automobiles. You see orange ones from the entrance; purple from the rear. The massive fenders characteristic rubber parts on the rear. Not solely are these elements higher ready to withstand harm from unfastened rocks, they’re detachable and replaceable, so you do not want a full fender alternative.
Across the again, you may discover a full-size 37-inch spare tire mounted to the swing gate, which has been bolstered with a magnesium bracket to deal with the additional weight (we found the Raptor’s 37-inch wheel/tires weigh in at a whopping 101.5 kilos every). The enormous spare has additionally necessitated some lighting adjustments. The high-mount brake mild sits increased, and incorporates the wide-vehicle lighting. The precise taillights are fully totally different, too, and have been styled to look a bit just like the pod lights on skilled racing vans. The rear brake mild hides a neat design contact in a backwards “Raptor” emblem. That is in order that it seems right within the reflection of the rear glass, and within the rear-view mirrors.
Efficiency Upgrades
The Bronco Raptor, unsurprisingly, has an entire lot of adjustments beneath the pores and skin to make it a monster off-roader. Ford went into nice element on a few of these upgrades, and is ready to say extra on a few of the others. Sadly, a kind of issues they’re mum on is the powertrain. The corporate did reveal that the Bronco Raptor will get a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6, so extra displacement than the present top-rung 2.7-liter V6 that produces 315 horsepower. Ford says the Raptor will likely be good for greater than 400, and that it is coupled to a novel variable exhaust. The drive modes embody a brand new tow/haul mode and a Baja mode, the latter of which options an anti-lag system like that on the F-150 Raptor. It really works by leaving exhaust valves open off-throttle to maintain some air transferring by way of and spinning the turbos for quicker response. However that is all Ford will say for now concerning the engine. The Raptor does get a 10-speed automated transmission, and the switch case has heavier obligation clutches.
As for what the chassis, the fully-boxed body obtained some reinforcing braces, together with robust shock mounts and a few new jounce bumpers all to deal with arduous impacts at excessive speeds. The entrance and rear axles are stronger, and the entrance management arms are bigger and stronger. Even the steering rack and knuckles are harder, all within the identify of dealing with quick off-roading and the burden from the massive tires. The physique additionally will get an aluminum brace throughout the roll bar close to the B pillars and a carbon fiber brace above the cargo space that enhance physique rigidity by greater than 50%.
