2019 Ford Ranger Raptor launched in the Philippines

MANILA: The much-awaited pickup of the year has finally landed on the Philippines soil. Yes, alongside the updated Ranger, the Blue Oval brand has launched the 2019 Ranger Raptor at a starting price tag of Php 1,898,000. This is the second country after Thailand where Ranger Raptor has made its entry.

For the unawares, the 2019 Ford Ranger Raptor is not just any other workhorse, it is an advanced version of the standard Ranger pickup. It has been specially designed to be positioned in the performance pickup segment. The 2019 Raptor features wider front and rear fenders along with increase height to adjust the 17-inch wheels backed by BF Goodrich all-terrain tires.

Some of the other differentiating elements of the performance pickup include a larger grille, bold headlights and beefed up bumper. Even the interior is tweaked to set it apart from the standard variant by evident Raptor badging all over the cabin. The upgradation is not just limited to the styling, the suspension unit is also improved to take on any terrain with ease. The major change is at the rear which now features a coil spring over the standard leaf-spring setup. For improved off-roading and ride comfort, Fox Racing dampers are installed on all the four corners.

Under the skin, the 2019 Ford Ranger Raptor features a 2.0-litre bi-turbo EcoBlue twin-turbo engine that delivers a maximum power output of 213 PS and peak torque of 500 Nm. The power is transmitted through a 10-speed automatic transmission, which is further accompanied by Terrain Management System. With Ranger Raptor being the only performance pickup in the segment, we have to wait when we will see other options in the segment from Toyota, Mitsubishi, Chevrolet and Isuzu.