Like many great names in the world, the next-generation Ford Ranger Raptor has to start somewhere. Ford Thailand is showing us how the company and its team built the more performance-oriented version of the pickup truck at the Ford Thailand Manufacturing (FTM) plant.
Watch how the next-gen Ranger Raptor is built in Thailand
The next-gen Ranger Raptor is the first model to emerge from FTM since the Blue Oval company announced its $900-million (or around Php 50.4-billion) modernization plans for the plant last year. With it, the truck can live up to its title as the “smartest, most versatile, and capable Ranger ever.”
“We’re all Raptor fans too, so the teams involved are excited to be putting their months of training into action, building a next-gen Ranger Raptor that will thrill our customers,” said Ford Director of Operations for International Markets Group and South America, Andrea Cavallaro.
Ford Ranger Raptor
The investment brought the addition of 1,250 employees, boosting production efficiency and giving more jobs in the Land of Smiles. Moreover, the FTM received 151 state-of-the-art robots at the body shop, paint shop, and final assembly. As a result, the plant’s level of automation went from 34 percent to 80 percent.
Marked as a first in the ASEAN region, a ScanBox optical measuring technology is used to measure vehicle bodies and parts five times faster. Automated paint sealer robots apply sealing material more efficiently, while an automated paint scanner can detect paint defects as small as 0.2 mm2.
The truck has a V6 gasoline engine with a 10-speed auto gearbox
The use of hydroforming manufacturing technology provided stronger and lighter parts as compared to traditional welded parts. Ford Thailand also said that hydroforming provided more space under the hood of the Ranger Raptor, which is home to the 3.0-liter V6 twin-turbo gasoline engine.
“We’ve tested every single item to ensure its safety, while also striving to achieve the level of performance and quality our customers demand. This is how we built the next-generation Ranger Raptor: to match the performance it was designed and engineered for,” said FTM Plant Manager Vinko Saric.
Built to perform at a high level
While the next-gen Ford Ranger Raptor comes out stronger thanks to upgrades at FTM, Ford Philippines remains mum regarding the future of the nameplate in the local lineup. The company did recently remove the Ranger Raptor off its official website, which could mean that the next-gen version will take the seat. If true, one can expect a significant price bump after the removal of the excise tax exemptions for pickup trucks.
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