2022 Ford Bronco Raptor Unveiled: The Toughest Street-Legal Bronco Yet for Desert Racing and Rock-Crawling
Yo off-road enthusiasts, get ready to take on even more because Bronco and Raptor have come together to bring us the all-new 2022 Ford Bronco Raptor! This beast is built for desert running and boulder crawling, and it's got next-level performance. It's the most powerful street-legal Bronco ever, and the world’s first Ultra4 Racing-inspired SUV. Ford Performance, the same team that produces the F-150 Raptor, has designed and engineered the Bronco Raptor with elite off-road technology and hardware. It's the ultimate vehicle for grueling off-road competition, like the famed King of the Hammers in California's Johnson Valley where you can check it out on Feb. 3rd. Plus, Ford and Bronco will continue to be the official truck and SUV of the Ultra4 series.
With the Bronco Raptor, Ford is expanding its Raptor high-performance off-road vehicle franchise, which already includes F-150 Raptor for North America and Ranger Raptor for global markets. Jim Farley, chief executive officer of Ford Motor Company, said it best: “Raptor is the apex of our off-road lineup and is now a full lineup with race proven content and design that you can’t get from anyone else. Only Ford could create a Bronco Raptor.”
Ford Performance didn't want to mess around when building the all-new Bronco Raptor, the first SUV inspired by Ultra4 Racing. The main goal was to make it faster, more capable, and better off-road than the original Bronco. According to Carl Widmann, the Ford Performance chief engineer, they needed to create the ultimate vehicle for hardcore off-road enthusiasts who demand more. The new Raptor-specific version of the Bronco frame was the first step for increased suspension travel and stability when going at high speeds through the desert. The Raptor's core is a fully boxed, high-strength steel frame with new shock towers that increase wheel travel and off-road durability. Heavy-duty bash and skid plates offer driveline coverage from the front bumper to the back of the engine, transmission, and transfer case. The B-pillar crossbar and C-pillar reinforcement help deliver a 50% total body-in-prime torsional rigidity increase over a standard four-door Bronco model.
To further deliver on the Ultra4-inspired design, Ford Performance also created competition-level axles, which increase the track width by 8.6 inches over a standard Bronco, for even more confidence. Plus, the upgraded front and rear axles come with larger driveshafts, so they can support more wheel torque. The advanced 4x4 system with three modes includes a higher-capacity clutch that can withstand the demands of high-performance desert events, and the upgraded transfer case features a 3.06 4x4 LO ratio for up to 67.7:1 crawl ratio. Bronco Raptor is a beast and has an increased ground clearance of 13.1 inches, which is almost 5 inches more than the standard four-door model.
Ford’s Performance team teamed up with FOX to create an upgraded High-Performance Off-Road Stability Suspension (HOSS) system that includes Live Valve technology. The Raptor HOSS 4.0 system features FOX 3.1 Internal Bypass Semi-Active Dampers that are specially tuned for the front and rear and include reservoirs. This allows for suspension tuning that adjusts hundreds of times every second to monitor terrain conditions independently. To help maximize wheel travel and give Bronco Raptor more desert-running power, Ford Performance added front and rear control arms, 37-inch KO2 all-terrain tires, and two 17-inch x 8.5-inch beadlock-capable wheels, plus an electric-power steering rack and larger tie rod ends.
Bronco Raptor also has a powerful twin-turbo 3.0-liter EcoBoost engine that’s been specifically tuned to meet Ford Performance standards, with over 400 horsepower and an intercooling and air-induction system that endures the high desert temperatures. The engine is paired with a 10-speed SelectShift automatic transmission that’s also been tuned to meet Ford Performance standards. The dual-exhaust system, featuring first-for-Bronco active-valve technology, has four selectable exhaust modes, including Normal, Sport, Quiet, and Baja.
Bronco Raptor includes seven driver-selectable modes, including the uniquely tuned Baja Mode that maximizes performance over high-speed desert runs, and Tow/Haul mode, which allows for a tow rating of 4,500 pounds, a 1,000-pound improvement over the base model. Other features include Trail Control, Trail Turn Assist, and Trail One-Pedal Driving, which makes off-roading a breeze. With all these upgrades, it's no wonder that Bronco Raptor is the most powerful street-legal Bronco ever and the world's first Ultra4-inspired SUV!
With signature Raptor-family cues infused with Built Wild innovative design, the Bronco Raptor is a beast on and off the road. According to Paul Wraith, Bronco design chief, “As the most badass Bronco yet, the Bronco Raptor design is extreme. It’s muscular, while maintaining an underlying simplicity with performance-focused details added only for outstanding high-speed capability.” The front of the Bronco Raptor features the familiar Ford block lettering, and signature LED headlights with integrated amber marker lamps that will make sure you stand out on the road. The front bumper is made of heavy-duty modular steel, and comes with tow hooks, removable bumper end caps for improved off-road clearance, and Rigid LED fog lamps for improved visibility.
The hood on the Bronco Raptor is made of sheet-molding compound, which makes it possible for the design team to sculpt it to their heart's content. The Raptor logos on the hood hint at the twin-turbo power underneath. The Bronco Raptor features unique-to-Raptor front and rear quarter-panels, fenders, fender flares and door appliques. Sheet-molding compound is used again to create the wider front fenders and integrated bodyside heat extraction ducts, which help to provide additional engine cooling. Together with the fender flares, the Bronco Raptor is 9.8 inches wider than a standard Bronco. The Bronco Raptor-specific reinforced rock rails with removable running boards increase rock crawling capability.
And if that’s not enough, the Bronco Raptor Graphics Package includes new splatter graphics on the rear bodysides and hood that use an overlapping broken trapezoidal pattern and floating shapes to present a sophisticated digital appearance. Plus, there are plenty of exterior colors to choose from, including Hot Pepper Red Metallic, Velocity Blue Metallic, Eruption Green Metallic, Shadow Black, Iconic Silver Metallic, Area 51, Cactus Gray, Cyber Orange Metallic Tri-Coat, Oxford White, and Ford Performance-exclusive Code Orange paint.
The inside of the Bronco Raptor looks pretty cool with its vintage-inspired dashboard, featuring a big 12-inch all-digital cluster. It's got multiple views, including a special one just for the Raptor that shows tachometer and gear readings and can be customized to suit the driver's preferences.
Ryan Olsson, design manager, says that the Bronco Raptor's interior was designed with off-road racers in mind. It's got some pretty sweet features like a unique steering wheel with paddle shifters, race-ready, high-bolster front seats, and Raptor-specific controls. Even the ignition button lights up in Code Orange!
The base model comes with Black Onyx marine-grade vinyl seats and rubberized washout flooring. It's got a dark interior with Ford Performance Code Orange accents on things like the G.O.A.T. Modes rotary dial, dash vents, door netting, and steering wheel stitching.
If you want to upgrade, you can opt for things like laser-perforated Black Onyx Neo suede seats, vinyl-wrapped instrument panel topper, leather-wrapped outer seat bolsters, and carpet flooring. The steering wheel is thicker and sport-contoured with magnesium paddle shifters and a gloss black Raptor logo center. The seats are unique to the Bronco Raptor, featuring aggressive foam side bolsters to keep you in place when you're bouncing around off-road. You can even get Code Orange seat belts for extra style points.
The Bronco Raptor also has some sweet technology features. It comes standard with a High Package that includes SYNC®4 with a 12-inch touchscreen with swipe capability, an on-demand panel with tons of info, and enhanced voice recognition. It's also got an exterior camera with 360-degree viewing capability. If you're into even more human-centered tech, you can opt for the Lux Package, which includes an available 10-speaker B&O audio system and Adaptive Cruise Control.
If you want to get your hands on a Bronco Raptor, you can start placing orders in March. Most of the 2022 model year allocation will go to people who already reserved a Bronco, based on their reservation timestamp. Ford will send out messages later this month asking reservation holders if they're interested in the Raptor. Vehicles should start showing up this summer.
Image Credit: Ford