Ford made no secret of the fact that Ranger Raptor is inspired by the world of off-road racing Baja.
Now, a version of Raptormodified for racing by Kelly Racing in Melbourne and Lovell Racing in the US, will compete in the Baja 1000 desert race on the Baja California Peninsula in Mexico from 15 to 20 November 2022.
It will be powered by a “low-carbon” biofuel developed by Shell, which is a mixture of ethanol and a product extracted from vegetable oils and other organic waste, called bio-naphtha .
Since it will compete in a stock classification of 1000, changes to the Raptor compared to what you can buy from your local Ford dealer are limited.
External changes are limited to the boost bar and LED light bar, along with a stiffer backplate, at the front. The wheels are OZ racing units and the right side of the bodywork is now where the snorkel is located.
At the back, the tray houses another LED light bar, along with a spare wheel. With rocks, trails, and even animal traps strewn across the desert, it’s not uncommon for opponents to change wheels in between levels, so you’ll need plenty of spare gear.
Under the skin, the Baja-mounted Raptor appears to ride on the production car’s Fox Racing suspension.
At launch, Ford said the Raptor’s frame was so heavily reinforced compared to the regular car (and its predecessor), it was almost a single platform.
Coupled with the fact that owners push the roads behind, and sometimes drivers want to jump their cars, it’s clear that some of that boost is aimed at getting the Raptor ready for the desert.
Suspension includes aluminum top and bottom control arms, long-travel front and rear springs, and Watt’s fine-tuned linkage coils at the rear.
There’s also a position-sensitive 2.5-inch Fox Live Valve damper that links to the drive modes. These shocks – billed as “the most complex ever on a Ranger Raptor” – are filled with Teflon blend oil to reduce friction by 50%.
They provide maximum damping force during 25% of the final impact stroke to protect from severe bottom-up impacts, such as during landing. Ford adds that the system can also stiffen the rear dampers to prevent the Raptor from tipping over during difficult acceleration.
Power on the road Raptor comes from a 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 engine 292kW and 583Nmsent to all four wheels through a full-time four-wheel drive system.
We bet drivers will run in Baja Mode, which prioritizes the engine’s anti-stall system, adds weight to the steering wheel, loosens the electronic driver aids and to exhaust gas emitted from the top of its lungs.
Ford had success with its production cars at the Baja 1000; The F-150 Raptor and Bronco ran and finished the race before.
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