Ford Ranger Raptor Special Edition (2021 - 2022)

Take the Ford Ranger, a very capable and popular pick-up truck in its own right and give it some real attitude. The result is the Ranger Raptor with beefed up wheels, lots of Raptor-specific design cues, but most importantly, increased performance, especially off road.

And, if that’s not quite enough, Ford has introduced the Raptor Special Edition model and that’s what we tested. It gains racing stripes, lots of red trimmings both inside and out, plus some menacing black decals.

It has looks that demand attention wherever it passes, but tips the scales at £50k-plus. This is considerably more than the standard double-cab Ranger that costs from £27,841 (excluding VAT). So, we have to ask, will there really be a market for such an outlandish model kitted out with all the bells and whistles? We do hope so.

And just in case it’s still not enough, a new Raptor will be hitting the streets soon with a bigger engine. The current 2.0-litre unit will be replaced by a 3.0-litre petrol engine with a 2.0-litre BiTurbo diesel version to follow.

If you’re the sort of person that likes to go through life without drawing too much attention to yourself, the Ford Ranger Raptor Special Edition (SE) is most definitely not the vehicle for you.
It’s an over-the-top, double-cab, pick-up that has a huge road presence thanks to its black 17-inch wheels with massive 33-inch tyres, LED headlights with black surrounds, widened front and rear wheel arches, Raptor badging, a black Raptor grille, privacy glass, strengthened alloy side steps, a front aluminium skid plate, a black sports bar, a roller-shutter cover and extensive black and red decals.
Climb aboard, with the aid of the side steps and grab handles if necessary, and the interior is practical, but also impressively upmarket for a pick-up. There are neatly upholstered seats finished with red stitching and these are power-operated and can be heated. The leather sports steering wheel features the Raptor logo and there is Ford’s SYNC 3 infotainment system with eight-inch touchscreen and navigation.
Other creature comforts include a fixed rearview camera, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a separate panel for all the climate control functions, along with the Ford Pass Connect onboard modem which introduces a wi-fi hotspot to connect devices.
There are plenty of wipe-clean surfaces that will be practical to mop up any spills and the cabin has a well-thought-out layout with all controls, dials and readouts easy to operate on the fly.
 

Despite looking like a beast of a machine, rather surprisingly, the Ranger Raptor SE is still powered by the 2.0-litre EcoBlue turbo-diesel engine delivering 213PS and 500Nm of torque. It looks like there should be something with lots more grunt beneath the bonnet to get this pick-up moving, but in fairness the engine delivers the goods.
The vehicle can reach 62mph from a standing start in 9.0 seconds and has a top speed of 112mph. There is a 10-speed automatic gearbox with large steering wheel-mounted paddles for added driver fun. 
I covered almost 400 miles during my week behind the wheel and it coped really well. Although, we stuck to the Tarmac on this occasion, the Ranger Raptor SE eats up the motorway miles with ease and is also capable when fizzing through the B roads. The elevated seating offers great visibility over the hedgerows, but it also feels far too wide on narrow lanes.
The steering is fairly light which is ideal when driving through busier city streets, but it still offers ample feedback when pushed on. Despite the large tyres and jacked up Fox suspension, the ride quality is impressive and there is little sign of any body sway provided tight bends are attacked with an element of sense.

While pick-ups offer a very practical alternative to SUVs these days, many owners need a workhorse that can put in a full day’s graft while still offering the practicalities of a family vehicle. In many ways, the Ranger Raptor SE succeeds, but it falls short in other areas.
Children will see their street cred rating soar if it is used on the school run, but then when you get to the building site, the compromises start to become more apparent. That’s because the standard Ranger has a payload limit of more than a tonne, while the Raptor SE version can only carry 620kg. And that will have financial implications too (as we will explain later).
The load limit might not really matter to owners of such a flamboyant pick-up and it can still pull a trailer or caravan weighing 2.5 tonnes with all the drive modes for more demanding terrain work called 2H, 4H and 4LOCK.
The Raptor SE is 15cms wider than the standard Ranger and also boasts an extra 5cms in height so offers added ground clearance for anyone who wants to venture off-road.
There are plenty of storage options inside the cabin with a glovebox, front and rear cup holders, deep door bins, a split-level central cubby box, trays and seat back pockets.
Another neat touch is the aerodynamic hoop over the load bed with a light for any night-time working.

There is quite a price hike for anyone looking to buy the Ranger Raptor SE when compared to less intrusive versions. For example, you could snap up the standard Ranger from £27,841 (excluding VAT), or the Ranger Raptor from £47,000. However, move to the Raptor SE and it will set you back £54,940 (including VAT).
And there is more bad news on the financial front. Because the payload limit is below the HMRC’s one-tonne limit, it does not qualify as a commercial vehicle. That means any owners looking to purchase the Raptor SE as a business vehicle will not be able to claim back the 20 per cent tax relief.
Day to day running costs will not be cheap either as it can deliver a combined 31.7mpg (if you are lucky) with carbon emissions of 201-204g/km. 
Despite not qualifying for Benefit in Kind business tax relief, the vehicle is taxed as a light commercial vehicle as it is still fundamentally a Ranger and that is good news as the road tax charge is set at £290, rather than being based on carbon emissions figures.
The Ford Ranger Raptor SE sits in insurance group 40

If you sit back and try to make any real sense of the Ford Ranger Raptor SE then you could be left pondering for a while. After all, it’s expensive,  and fails to meet the commercial vehicle tax rules.
Yes, it has been beefed up to do all the gruelling, off-roading stuff faster and more effectively than ever before, but how many owners will ever put the vehicle to the test in all reality? Very few I would suggest.
However, with a sensible hat discarded, the Ranger Raptor SE will make perfect sense to some people. It looks awesome, has road presence that commands attention and is very, very capable. It’s the perfect ‘look at me’ vehicle and some.