The 2019 Ranger Raptor is the Diesel-Drinking Off-Road Beast We've Been Needing

TopSpeed

By Mark McNabb

Published Feb 7, 2018

A look at Ford’s new 2.0-liter I-4 turbodiesel

Ford’s new 2019 Ranger Raptor is making big waves as its debut in Thailand reaches America’s shores. Anticipation for the truck garnered nearly limitless speculation from industry analysts and journalists. Everyone basically knew the Ranger Raptor would be wider, taller, have a dolled-up interior, and ride on Fox Racing Shocks. Those were easy guesses. But one thing nobody saw coming was Ford’s new twin-turbo, 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbodiesel under the hood.

The new engine was designed to offer more power and better fuel economy, but with less weight than traditional turbodiesels. Ford’s engine testing included running the engine wide open nonstop for 200 hours with both turbos glowing red hot. The engine was then subjected to countless miles of off-road driving and other extreme regimens. The result, hopefully, is an engine that will last the life of the truck without major mechanical issues.

Speaking of the turbos, Ford is using the age-old trick of compounding the turbos. Rather than having two identical turbos, they are different sizes. The smaller, high-pressure turbo works to combat turbo lag since its smaller size allows it to spool more quickly. This turbo then feeds the larger one, which runs at a lower pressure but with much more air volume. Combined – or compounded – the two turbos work to quickly spool at lower engine revs but deliver big boost pressures at higher engine speeds.

Ford’s result is this: 210 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque.

The longitudinally mounted engine mates exclusively with Ford’s new 10-speed automatic transmission, which it co-developed with General Motors. Both the engine and transmission are specifically tuned for the Ranger Raptor, including for severe off-road duty.

Despite the Ranger Raptor’s soft, off-road-oriented suspension, it’s rated to tow 5,511 pounds on its standard two-inch receiver hitch. That’s 511 pounds more than the Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 Duramax is rated to pull. As for power, the Ranger Raptor boasts 29 horsepower more and the same torque figure. Add to that the Ranger Raptor’s four additional gears in its transmission.

Stay tuned to TopSpeed.com as we continue our coverage of the 2019 Ford Ranger Raptor.