- The 2022 Ford Bronco Raptor is a high-performance off-roader that features long-travel suspension and the biggest tires you’ll find on any SUV.
- Prices start at $69,995 (destination included), and deliveries begin this summer.
- Shoppers with existing Bronco pre-orders will be able to upgrade, if desired.
The 2022 Ford Bronco Raptor has arrived, and it looks like something we might have drawn as children. Beyond the massive fender flares, the Raptor transformation includes more power from a 3.0-liter twin-turbo V-6 and similar hardware to Ford’s F-150 Raptor pickup, from long-travel suspension and 37-inch tires to adaptive Fox Racing shocks.
Internally named Warthog, the Raptor has massive tires and beefy suspension to augment the already capable Bronco hardware, including locking front and rear differentials and a disconnecting front anti-roll bar. Ford says this package was inspired by the combination of high-speed desert racing and rock crawling that happens at Ultra4 racing events like King of the Hammers.
Tires, Suspension, Clearances
If you trace an imaginary line up from the center of the 37×12.50R-17 LT BFGoodrich KO2 all-terrain tires, you’ll find it’s roughly in line with the bodywork. To accommodate the 8.6-inch-wider track, there are 85.7 inches between the Raptor’s fenders, making this Bronco nearly as wide as the F-150 Raptor and also necessitating amber marker lights in accordance with Department of Transportation regulations.
While optional on the F-150 Raptor, the tires come standard on the Bronco Raptor, bringing dramatic improvements in clearances and capability. Approach, breakover, and departure angles increase by 3.5 to 4.5 degrees. As on the F-150, the tires are mounted on 17-inch wheels that accept an accessory beadlock rim.
The 37-inch tires and additional suspension travel introduced a variety of challenges for Ford engineers. Mounting the heavier spare wheel and tire on the tailgate required additional carrier reinforcement. The size also meant Ford had to push the taillights outward. Look on the backside of the new center taillight housing and you’ll see “RAPTOR” printed backward so it reads correctly in the rearview mirror.
The standard Bronco’s independent front and solid rear axle setup has been upgraded to withstand durability needs for serious off-road performance, with a Dana 44 front and Dana 50 rear axle with a 235-mm ring gear.
The 3.1-inch diameter Fox Racing shocks are the same setup as the F-150 Raptor’s, with external reservoirs in the rear but Bronco-specific valving. The brakes, wheels, and tires will even bolt right up to the F-150, though the wheel offset is different.
New shock mounts and control arms enable longer wheel travel, up to 13 inches in front and 14 inches in the rear, like the F-150 Raptor. The upper front control arms even have a small bend to clear the body as they pivot through the range of travel. Additional front and rear jounce dampers help absorb the load after landing sweet jumps, while new braces on the trailer hitch help increase the tow rating to 4500 pounds.
Engine, Gearing, and Exhaust
It should be no surprise that the Bronco Raptor doesn’t have a V-8. Instead, the power upgrade comes from a twin-turbo 3.0-liter V-6 like what you’d find under the hood of a Ford Explorer ST. The engine features some additions and changes for the Raptor, including new turbochargers.
Ford did not specify horsepower and torque but says the target is 400 horsepower. In the Explorer ST, the engine makes that amount of power and 415 pound-feet of torque. This might be the only thing Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392 owners have remaining to brag about against the Bronco.
A new Baja drive mode joins the Bronco’s stable of settings. Among other settings, this mode has an anti-lag system that lets exhaust flow when you’re off the throttle to keep the turbos spinning, so that there’s boost when you reapply the gas pedal.
Baja mode also opens the dual exhaust system’s electronically controlled valves wide open. These valves adjust depending on the drive mode, from neighborhood-friendly to The Terror on Nextdoor.
The transmission is a 10-speed automatic with unchanged gear ratios. And the low range is 3.06:1, netting a 67.8:1 crawl ratio that matches the standard Bronco with the automatic and a 4.7:1 final drive.
Removable End Caps and Side Steps
The Raptor’s new steel bumper features a large steel front bash plate with integrated tow hooks and four Rigid LED foglights. Two of the inboard fog lights come covered from the factory; Ford says the combined lumens of all four are too bright for legal on-road use.
At each end of the bumper are end caps that, when removed, provide more clearance in front of the wheels. A steel side step is installed onto factory rock rails and can likewise be jettisoned by undoing a few bolts.
The rear fenders have replaceable front sections, as Ford found during development that they would get damaged by flying debris.
Interior and Tech
In a nod to the more practical-minded aspects of desert racing, the entry Bronco Raptor features vinyl seats and rubberized flooring that you can hose out. A Premium option adds more plush materials including floor carpeting and suede seats with leather-wrapped bolsters.
Regardless of covering, the Raptor-specific seats feature additional bolstering to keep you secure, and Ford engineers also considered headroom with a helmet included.
Behind the driver’s helmet is a new aluminum B-pillar cross bar, while the C-pillar gains a carbon-fiber reinforcement structure. Combined with other structure improvements, these parts help increase torsional rigidity by a claimed 50 percent.
Like higher-end versions of the standard Bronco, a 12.0-inch center touchscreen comes standard, as does a comprehensive exterior camera system. The optional Lux package adds a 10-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio system and adaptive cruise control.
Pricing and Availability
The Bronco Raptor starts at $69,995, destination charge included. For comparison, it costs $78,470 to equip a 2022 F-150 Raptor with 37-inch tires, and a Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392 starts at $76,395.
Orders open in March and deliveries begin in the summer. Ford will also let current Bronco reservation holders upgrade their order to the Raptor, if desired. Fair warning: Ford says they expect most of the 2022 Bronco Raptor SUVs to be snapped up by those existing reservation holders.
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Source: Motor - aranddriver.com
