Lucas Bell 
When it comes to automotive presenters, few are as widely cherished as Richard Hammond. The Grand Tour host became a household name after spending years alongside Jeremy Clarkson and James May on BBC’s hit show Top Gear. During the countless car related adventures with this unbeatable trio, Hammond made his appreciation for American muscle cars and trucks, to the behest of his co-hosts. In a recent post on the Drivetribe YouTube channel, the Hamster tries to find out if the Ford Ranger Raptor can fill a mid-life crisis sized hole in his life.
We’d like to clarify that Drivetribe and Ford paired up to make the video, so be warned that it is sponsored content, but nevertheless good content. Now that Hammond has passed the half century mark, he has found himself looking for something different from the sports cars and fast motorcycles he’s accustomed to.
The Ford Ranger Raptor is an interesting proposition for a fan of performance vehicles, especially those who are searching for some practicality. The Euro-spec Raptor comes with a 2.0-liter turbocharged diesel engine mated to Ford’s 10-speed automatic found in the F-150 and Mustang. The four-cylinder manages to produce a meager 213 hp, but a respectable 368 lb-ft. Four-cylinder.
While this baby Raptor doesn’t share it’s bigger brothers get up, it is still capable when the tarmac ends. Off-roading upgrades include Fox Racing shocks, an electronic rear axle lock, 17-inch BF Goodrich All-Terrain tires, underbody guards, fender extensions, and the burly “FORD” logo in the grill like the larger F-150 Raptor.
The Ranger Raptor is also much wider than the standard truck, with an additional 6.6 inches of width and 5.9 more inches of track. Height has also increased by 2.0 inches, as does the ground clearance for a total of 11.1 inches. Should you find yourself in water, the baby Raptor will be fine up to 33.5 inches.
Hammond takes advantage of all of these off-road enhancements in the clip, as one does with any sort of Raptor. The standard Ranger is currently Europe’s best-selling truck, but the $74,685 starting price of the Ranger Raptor is far higher than the standard trucks.
As fun as the Ford Ranger Raptor looks, we may never get it here in the states, and that’s a shame. However, the aftermarket provides something very close.
