Ford has taken the wraps off a new version of its Ranger pick-up. Called the Ranger Raptor, this version is to the standard Ranger what the F-150 Raptor is to the iconic F-150 pick-up sold abroad – a performance version. The car is, for now, aimed at multiple right-hand-drive pick-up markets like Australia and a few ASEAN regions where diesel-powered pickups rule the roost.

The Range Raptor makes use of an all-new twin-turbo, 2.0-litre engine. Its peak power is a healthy 210hp with a solid 500Nm of max torque. The car’s four-wheel-drive system channels power via a new ten-speed automatic gearbox, which was co-developed by General Motors and Ford.

Apart from more power under the hood, the Raptor gets other bespoke bits under its skin, too. There’s a long-travel suspension with Fox Shox, aluminum upper and lower control arms, heavy duty skid plates and underbody protection. The front and rear tracks have also been widened. Thanks to a 283mm ride height, the performance-oriented Ranger Raptor has an approach angle of 32.5 degrees, a ramp over angle of 24 degrees, and departure angle of 24 degrees.

The Range Raptor also comes with a six-mode Terrain Management System (TMS) across high-range and low-range settings and also includes a Baja mode. Named after the famous Baja 1000 desert race, the Ranger Raptor’s Baja mode is designed for high-speed dune-running, allowing a lot of slide at the wheels under power and braking, and holding gears longer for flat-out performance. Additionally, the Raptor gets mean­-looking 17-inch alloys with meaty 285/70 R17 BF Goodrich rubber. It also gets big 332mm disc brakes, all around.

New on the inside are suede and leather seats with blue stitching; the instrument cluster is also unique to the Ranger Raptor. It also gets an 8.0-inch infotainment system with Sync3 bundled with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The steering wheel gets blue stitching with perforated leather and magnesium paddle shifters.

The Ford Ranger on which the Raptor is based shares a lot of its underpinnings with the Endeavour SUV sold in India (which is also due for a facelift, later this year). The lifestyle pickup market is still a bit niche in India – however, going by the positive response to the Isuzu V-Cross, the Ranger Raptor could be a contender, in its own unique way.

Would you consider a pick-up over a similar-priced and similar-specced SUV? Let us know in the comments section below.