Riding high on the success of the Ranger in Europe, Ford launched a special edition of the truck based on the Ranger Raptor. Called the Ranger Raptor Special Edition (no marks for creativity there), the truck comes with aesthetic upgrades and wide tracks. It rides on the same drivetrain without any power bumps. The automaker is pushing it as a ‘badass’ edition of the truck. But, what’s so badass about it?

The Ranger Raptor Special Edition Is Different On The Inside And Outside

The Ranger Raptor Special Edition will be offered in three different shades - Performance Blue, Conquer Grey, and Frozen White. Irrespective of which one you choose, the truck will come with twin matte black racing stripes with red contrast lines. The stripes will run on the bonnet, roof, lower body sides, rear wings, and the tailgate.

Furthermore, the front tow hooks will be finished in red. The flared wheel arches, front and rear bumpers, door handles, and the grille up front will have a matte black finish to them. There are no chrome elements anywhere on the body. If not for the big tires, it would look like a base trim Ranger with some sticker job. Speaking of the tires, the wheels are shod in General Grabber AT3 All-Terrain rubber.

On the inside, there are red touches to add to the sporty vibes. Ford has upholstered the seats in high-grain leather. The steering wheel, instrument cluster, and door panels feature red stitching. Apart from this, the standard instrument cluster has been swapped in favor of a ‘Special Edition-only Raceway Grey’ cluster.

The Ranger Raptor Special Edition Features A Wider Track

The Ranger Raptor Special Edition is underpinned by the Ford Performance chassis. When compared to the Ranger XLT, it has a 5.9-inch wider track and rides two inches higher. The suspension setup comprises of aluminum double wishbones at the front and a multi-link system at the rear. It also features FOX shock absorbers with Position Sensitive Damping.

There Are No Changes Under The Ranger Raptor Special Edition’s Hood

The truck is powered by the same 2.0-liter, EcoBlue Bi-turbo diesel engine that’s seen on the standard model, too. It churns out 210 horses and 369 pound-feet of twist. Power is sent to the wheels via a 10-speed automatic gearbox. It’s the same transmission that’s present in the Mustang as well. The Ranger Raptor Special Edition also features a Terrain Management System to make life better off the roads.

Ford Ranger Raptor Special Edition specifications

Will The Ranger Raptor Come Stateside?

The Ranger Raptor has been a forbidden fruit Stateside for years now, but it looks like we might get it after all. The Raptor version of the mid-size truck is expected to arrive as a 2022 model with a V-6 engine under the hood that makes around 300 horses and 400 pound-feet of torque. While not much else is known, you can expect it to share similarities with the Bronco.

Final Thoughts

The Ranger Raptor Special Edition will arrive at the dealerships from October 2021. Ford has said that it will be built in limited numbers, but there’s no word on how many will be produced. This isn’t the only special edition that Ford has launched. It will arrive along with the Ranger Stormtrak, the Ranger Wolftrak, and the rally-inspired Ranger MS-RT.

We don’t see what’s so special that Ford had to make it a limited-production model. Perhaps, just to create the hype. The truck is also seen in the new “The Good, The Bad and the Bad-RSE” film, so it’s probably the company’s way to milk some money from the model that has starred in the movie. But, that aside, it will at least keep the model fresh for a while and probably fend off some competition from the recently-unveiled Toyota Hilux AT35.