Meet the Focus RS of the pick-up world. The Ford Ranger Raptor is the most extreme vehicle in the one-tonne truck class, with a body and stance that makes it look as if it鈥檚 ready for the a run in the Dakar Rally. It鈥檚 designed to broaden the appeal of pick-ups in Europe - where vans rule supreme. The aim is to transform the big-selling Ranger into what marketing types call a 鈥榣ifestyle vehicle鈥? The Raptor is a pick-up that can鈥檛 carry or tow as much as its workhorse counterparts, switching versatility for power and performance. Inside, the standard instrument cluster is replaced by a sportier dash display, while the steering wheel is thicker and features a new red centre stripe. Furthermore, the sports seats have thicker side bolsters and Raptor logos stitched into the fabric. Under the skin, Ford has created a bespoke chassis set-up with coil springs at the rear (rather than leaf springs). There鈥檚 a wider track, too, and rally-inspired heavy-duty shock absorbers matched with off-road tyres.
The bulging front wings are made of high-strength plastic, but the matching bulges at the rear are stamped out of metal. The bumpers are tapered for improved clearance off road, and the side steps are made from magnesium in a vain attempt to trim weight. It鈥檚 still a hefty vehicle, however. At 2,404kg, the Raptor is up to 200kg heavier than a standard Ranger. Thankfully, four-wheel disc brakes provide decent stopping power. The performance of the chassis is profound, too, whether on or off the road. On rough tracks, the Fox shocks smooth out most bumps, and provide almost serene comfort on the highway. The tyres produce surprisingly little road noise, and the steering has a precision rarely seen in the pick-up class. Just be careful when parking around town; there鈥檚 a massive 12.9-metre turning circle. The shorter front and rear overhangs and taller ride height mean the Ranger Raptor can negotiate most off-road obstacles with ease, however.
There is just one sizeable caveat in this otherwise impressive overall package: the engine is a little bit underdone. It鈥檚 a new twin-turbo 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel, and falls just short of where it needs to be. Despite having more power and torque than the Ranger鈥檚 3.2-litre five-cylinder diesel - and the extra gear ratios for brisker acceleration - the Raptor hasn鈥檛 made the gains you might expect given its bold appearance. While vehicles like this aren鈥檛 meant to accelerate like supercars, the latest V6-powered Volkswagen Amarok and Mercedes X 350 d show there鈥檚 appetite for powerful (and ultimately expensive) pick-ups. But Ford says the Raptor is not about straight-line speed and more about its next-level off-road capability. And that鈥檚 a shame. There鈥檚 no denying it鈥檚 an awesome-looking truck, but we can鈥檛 help thinking it could have been better. Here鈥檚 hoping the upcoming joint venture between Ford and Volkswagen鈥檚 commercial vehicle divisions might one day see the Amarok鈥檚 V6 under the bonnet of the Raptor. Only then would we truly have the hot Focus RS-inspired pick-up we鈥檝e long been waiting for.
Highlights including a 412 kW/560 hp V8 engine and bespoke suspension technology imbue this impressive triumvirate with track-specification performance attributes. Sports performance and luxury - a combination rich in tradition. The new BMW 6 Series model range follows in a BMW tradition of legendary dream cars which now stretches back more than 75 years. Presented in 1937, the BMW 327 Sports Coupe was the most exclusive model in the company鈥檚 line-up at the time. Then came the BMW 503 Coupe and BMW 507 Roadster, which were powered by the car world鈥檚 first aluminium eightcylinder engine and continue to enthral as 1950s style icons to this day. And later on, the BMW 2800 CS of 1968 pulled back the curtain on an era of luxury cars which took a whole new approach to combining sports performance and luxury. Since 1976 these unmistakable characteristics have been grouped together in the BMW line-up under the model designation 鈥?鈥?
The first-generation BMW 6 Series shone not only with its outstanding driving dynamics, but also its state-of-the-art comfort and safety technology. Its successor, unveiled in 2003, radiated a thoroughly progressive air, its dynamic appearance complemented by a wealth of innovations. The new variants added to the 6 Series line-up also broke new ground - and fundamentally enriched the driving experience on offer in the luxury class. The debut of the BMW 6 Series Convertible in 2004 saw driving pleasure in an exclusive sports car and the joy of advanced technology married with open-top enjoyment for the first time. One model series, three different characters. The latest generation of the BMW 6 Series takes the dynamics, aesthetics, luxury and innovation offered by the model series to new heights. Moreover, the expansion of the range to span three body variants has ensured that driving pleasure in a luxury BMW can be experienced in an even wider variety of ways.
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