Updated 10:45 AM,Feb 6,2023
Join Ford Design in exploring the journey from initial sketches to delivering Ford's most powerful Ranger ever—the next-generation Ranger Raptor.
Bringing this new generation to life required hundreds of sketches, thousands of kilograms of clay, and hundreds of liters of paint. While we often think of new vehicles being built by advanced machinery on massive production lines, the first step in this process begins with skilled artisans.
Pedro Simoes, Marketing Manager at Ford Middle East, said: "As the fastest mid-size pickup truck in the world, off-road enthusiasts know exactly the high-performance capabilities Ranger Raptor delivers in desert racing—developed through pure power, smart technology, and mechanical precision. However, as our experts will explain later, significant effort was made to ensure the new Ranger Raptor’s design seamlessly integrates with Ford’s performance features, both inside and out."
The new Ranger Raptor features a bold exterior design that mirrors its performance strength, not only elevating the Ranger to a new level but also reinforcing its performance and connecting it to the broader Raptor family.
Max Tran, Lead Designer of Ranger Raptor, said: "The original concept behind designing the Ranger Raptor was to prioritize form after function, pushing the vehicle to the next level."
DeWitt added: "Ford’s team was tasked with creating a design that tells the story of Ranger Raptor in detail—ensuring it makes an immediate, clear impression of strength, performance, and capability at first glance, while clearly signaling its place within the Ford Performance lineup and the Raptor family."
Raptor models deliver unmatched off-road performance. Although each model has its own distinct character, they must all share the signature Raptor design language.
The Ranger Raptor combines all these elements, even surpassing the previous generation with a prominent hood bulge indicating the power beneath, dual high-mounted exhausts to avoid obstacles, and distinctive gray design accents.
Nick Etirovich, Interior Design Director for Ranger Raptor, explained that the cabin was expected to instill confidence in drivers, empowering them to unleash the full potential of the next-generation Raptor’s high-performance capabilities.
Etirovich added: "Our design team had to deliver a race-ready, functional dashboard suitable for competitive off-road racing, while also providing the comfort found in modern sports cars."
The interior cabin and exterior design of the Ranger Raptor convey the same message of strength and performance, enhanced by signature Ford Performance orange accents. The instrument cluster and upper door panels are covered in 'Terra Suede' material—soft, durable, easy to clean, non-reflective, reducing glare, and contributing to a luxurious, powerful interior atmosphere."
The unique Ford Performance seats in the new Ranger Raptor are inspired by those found in the F-22 Raptor fighter jet, featuring strong side supports designed to keep the driver firmly in place regardless of terrain. Seat materials were also developed to balance practicality and aesthetics, with refined, modern edges and leather detailing. Since the new Ranger Raptor is built for both adventure and family travel, the rear seats are engineered to be just as supportive and robust as those in the front.
Ford enhanced the interior with a 12.4-inch customizable digital instrument display, featuring animated startup graphics that can be selected based on personal preference to match the car’s character and performance. Complementing this is a 12-inch vertical touchscreen infotainment system powered by Ford’s latest SYNC 4 technology.
