Ford is giving us a faster Ranger, but it’s not the Ranger Raptor. For years now, Ford has been dilly-dallying on bringing the Ranger Raptor to the States despite there being a strong interest from enthusiasts.

Instead, Ford Performance has introduced a new performance calibration for the truck. This gives the Ranger an additional 45 horses and 60 pound-feet of torque. The upgrade is priced quite reasonably and costs less than $1,000. Any takers?

What Does This Package Include?

Ford Performance has introduced the performance calibration to make the Ranger slightly more powerful. The kit includes a high-flow K&N air filter and a Pro Cal 4 tool which is used to install the calibration via the OBD 2 port. Ford says the package has been developed after “countless hours of dyno testing and real-time ‘seat-of-the-pants’ drive-ability evaluation.” The result of this is an additional 45 ponies and 60 pound-feet of torque.

Currently, the Ranger comes with just one engine option - a 2.3-liter, four-cylinder EcoBoost unit that packs 270 horses and 310 pound-feet of torque. So, with this package, it will now churn out 315 ponies and 370 pound-feet of twist. Power is still sent to the rear wheels via an excellent 10-speed automatic transmission system, but Ford says this package will include an optimized shift schedule that will deliver crisper and precise shifts.

The Ranger can be availed in an all-wheel-drive version as well. This engine, in general, is quite versatile and has enough punch in it for any of your activities. With this boost, there will be a significant improvement in the way it pulls, especially at lower rpm. The Ranger also comes with a locking rear differential and independent suspensions in the front and rear.

When Will We Get The Ranger Raptor?

In Europe, the truck features a 2.0-liter, four-cylinder diesel engine that makes just 213 horses and 368 pound-feet of torque. Power is sent to the wheel via the same 10-speed automatic transmission as the standard Ranger. The Ranger Raptor takes 10.5 seconds to hit the 60 mph mark from a standstill. The figure is far from impressive and this proves that the truck is focused on off-roading and not strong straight-line antics.

Ford Ranger Raptor drivetrain specifications

The truck comes with a reinforced chassis, an electronic rear-axle lock, Fox racing shocks, and an underbody guard amongst other things. It uses a different set of bumpers when compared to the standard Ranger for better approach and departure angles. The towing and payload capacities, however, are lower than the standard Ranger’s.

Final Thoughts

If you compare the upgraded Ranger and the European Ranger Raptor, the former is more powerful on paper. However, the two focus on completely different trajectories and that sets them apart. So, this doesn’t fill the need of a Ranger Raptor in any way.

Ford is offering this package for $825. This is quite reasonable, considering that the Pro Cal 4 tool itself costs around $450. The upgrade also comes with a 3 year/36,000-mile warranty. What are your thoughts about this upgrade? Share them with us in the comments section below.