Ford Ranger Raptor 2018 rolls down production line: video

Ranger Raptor production has begun, with Ford releasing footage of the first of its performance pickups rolling down its Thai manufacturing line.

If you’ve got an order in for a Raptor, then watch closely; this could be your new truck rolling down the line in Rayong, Thailand. The performance-tweaked Ranger will begin local deliveries in October this year.

“The Ranger Raptor is truly the ultimate Ranger. With its bold appearance and extreme, off-road performance features, the Ranger Raptor represents a new and distinctive breed of truck for the region,” says Ford ASEAN president, Yukontorn ‘Vickie’ Wisadkosin.

If you’ve missed the whole Raptor thing, here’s a quick recap; Ford’s take on an off-road performance truck will arrive wearing a whopping $74,990 price tag, and with a 2.0-litre twin-turbodiesel engine under its aggressive bonnet. That engine is good for 157kW and 500Nm and is paired with a 10-speed automatic gearbox.

The big changes, though, are to the ride and handling. Ford has fitted Fox Racing Shox dampers front and rear, specifically for better off-road handling and endurance, as well as swapping the Ranger's rear leaf setup for Watt’s linkage rear suspension with coil-over springs and a solid rear axle.

Remember, Ford is specifically referring to its Raptor as tuned for “off-road performance”, and the numbers stack up on paper. There’s 283mm of ground clearance, a 32.5-degree approach angle, 24-degree departure angle and 24-per-cent ramp-over angle.

Standard kit includes active noise cancellation, navigation, keyless entry and push-button start, LED DRLS and fog lamps and 17-inch alloys with all-terrain tyres.

Are you hanging out for the Ford Ranger Raptor? Tell us in the comments below.