The Ford Bronco Raptor can fly
Ford Performance Chief Engineer Carl Widmann enters The Fox Garage for a deep dive into the 2022 Ford Raptor high performance SUV.
Ford's latest SUV can take to the skies like the birds of prey and fighter jets it shares its name with.
The 2022 Ford Bronco Raptor is scheduled to go on sale this summer. (Ford)
The 2022 Bronco Raptor is a performance version of the SUV designed for high speed off-road driving and the kind of big air jumps that go with it.
Inspired by the Ford F-150 Raptor pickup, the four-door Bronco Raptor is powered by a 3.0-liter turbocharged V6 with over 400 hp exclusive to the new top of the line model that drives a 4x4 system with high, low and automatic settings and a locking rear differential.
The high-performance Bronco Raptor features a long-travel suspension. (Ford)
However, the Bronco Raptor's standout feature is a long-travel suspension that gives the midsize SUV an 86.9-inch wide stance that makes it as broad as the full-size F-150 Raptor and by law requires it to have three amber lights in it's FORD-branded grille and marker lights on the rearview mirrors to indicate it's an oversize monster truck.
The Bronco Raptor is so wide that it requires amber indicator lights. (Ford)
Combined with a set of standard 37-inch tall tires, the suspension provides 13.1 inches of ground clearance and offers 13 inches of wheel articulation up front and 14 inches in the rear.
Ford says the Bronco Raptor can keep up with the F-150 Raptor on its test trails. (Ford)
It's quipped with a set of computer-controlled Fox Live Valve shock absorbers with position-sensitive damping that help provide control on rough roads and progressively stiffen as they compress to soak up big impacts, like when it sticks a landing.
The Bronco Raptor is capable of executing large jumps. (Ford)
Ford Performance Chief Engineer Carl Widmann told Fox News Autos that the Bronco Raptor can keep up with the F-150 Raptor on the desert trails it tests them on in California and is just as good of a rock crawler, too.
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Pricing for the Bronco Raptor hasn't been announced, but it will be offered in three trim levels that range from an entry model with wash-out flooring and marine grade waterproof vinyl sport seats to a luxury trim with suede and leather upholstery, premium 10-speaker B&O audio system and adaptive cruise control.
The Bronco Raptor is equipped with heavily-bolstered sport seats. (?)
All Bronco Raptors also get a model-exclusive full digital instrument cluster, automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, blind spot warning system and a 360-degree camera system.
As with all Broncos, the Raptor's doors, roof and fender flares can be easily removed. (Ford)
Off-road electronic driver aids include Ford's low-speed Trail Control cruise control system; a Trail Turn Assist that locks the inside rear wheel to allow the Bronco to make tighter turns on loose surfaces; and a One-Pedal Driving feature that automatically applies the brakes as you let up on the accelerator to make it easier to negotiate difficult terrain.
Trail Turn Assist tightens the Bronco's turning circle. (Ford)
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Unfortunately, getting your hands on a Bronco Raptor may prove to be as difficult as keeping up with one. The Bronco lineup is essentially sold out for the next couple of years and existing reservation holders will get first dibs on placing an order for the Raptor this spring for deliveries expected to begin in the summer.
