Why the Ford Ranger Raptor is the perfect car for the apocalypse
Whether it's a meteorite, an earthquake, or a zombie apocalypse that wipes out most of us earthly dwellers, the fact remains that those of us who survive will probably need some form of reliable transport that can handle a few trials and tribulations. I recently had the Ford Ranger Raptor on test and realised that the Raptor would be an excellent vehicle to own if disaster strikes. Here's why.
1. Other cars will get out of your of way...and fast
We've all seen the Hollywood films where desperate city-dwellers make a run for their cars to escape aliens / meteorites / terrorists only to get stuck in deadlocked traffic on the freeway. Well, I've driven a small hatchback with a Raptor looming in my rearview mirror during the December holidays in Cape Town (which is actually a very similar kind of mass hysteria), and let me tell you, I felt intimidated. The Raptor (R 836 700), with its high ground clearance and wide, beefy stance, aggressive grille, and gigantic wheels, looks like it will have no qualms about driving over your little city runabout, should you refuse to get out of its way.
Related: Off-road rapture in a new Ford Raptor (launch report, 2019)
2. They'll never find you, because you can go anywhere
The SA-built Ford Ranger Raptor is Dakar-ready from the moment it leaves the Ford factory. Its performance-tuned long-travel suspension is so advanced you will hardly feel bumps or barriers, and jumping over obstacles will leave the Raptor unperturbed, as we found out when we attended the local launch near the Kalahari desert. A 32.5-degree approach angle and ramp-over and departure angles of 24 degrees, provide the Raptor with exceptional off-road capability. Also, have you seen the extent of the rubber (and tread) on those BF Goodrich All terrain tyres?
Should you have a band of brain-hungry zombies chasing you down the N1, leaving the road and heading into the mountains won't be an issue at all. There is even a terrain response setting by the name of "Baja mode" which primes the Raptor for high-speed off-road driving and allows you to let your inner-hooligan loose same time. Other terrain management settings include Normal, Sport, Grass/Gravel/Snow, Mud/Sand and Rock.
“The standout experience of the Ranger Raptor, hands down, is how far you can push it off-road versus any other available standard production road vehicle, and still provide amazing ride comfort on-road,” says Damien Ross, The Ford Ranger Raptor's chief program engineer.
Power comes from Ford's 2.0-litre Bi-Turbo engine (157kW and 500Nm) with a ten-speed auto transmission, and there's even a pair of steering-mounted paddle shifters for more spirited getaway driving.
Also, you'll be able to load a fair bit of loo-paper into the loading bay of a Raptor, with a little extra help from the easy-lift tailgate!
3. Its advanced sat-nav system won't get you lost
Losing your way is not an option when you have limited diesel or supplies. Ford's new SYNC3 infotainment system (standard) features fully-featured embedded sat-nav with a pinch and zoom function as well as voice recognition. The most practical and nifty part of the sat-nav system in this instance, is the "breadcrumbs" feature that prevents you from going in circles if you find yourself (or can't find yourself!) in the middle of nowhere. The system includes the Tracks4Africa package which includes maps to more than 20 African countries.
If the internet and cell towers are still functional, you can pair your smartphone to the SYNC3 system via Apple CarPlay / Android Auto and let Siri or Alexa take care of the rest, while you concentrate on escaping your followers.
4. Passengers will be safe, even if you need to speed
The whole reason for getting away is to keep you and your family healthy, and in one piece. There are seven airbags should the worst happen, but ideally, prevention is better than cure, and stability control is the best way to keep your car in an upright position.
"Ford's SUV-specific stability control can prevent a potential roll-over by inducing longitudinal slip and reducing lateral force by selectively applying the brakes. It can also detect and counter oversteer by using braking force on certain wheels. Understeer is taken care of by cutting the engine torque and applying the brakes on certain wheels to improve cornering and prevent the vehicle from running wide," says Ford. And, having driven the Raptor on some of South Africa's harshest terrain at the local launch, I can assure you that Ford is speaking the truth. You can feel all of its assistance systems constantly working to keep you out of harm's way.
The Raptor's stability control system also incorporates trailer sway control and load adaptive control. Driving down the side of a mountain is made easier thanks to hill-descent control, and a rear diff-lock is standard. The Raptor also has a class-leading wading depth of 85 cm for those "cross every stream" moments.
A 2.3 mm bash plate of high-strength steel provides underbody protection for the Raptor's most important components. The Raptor also gets a pair of robust recovery hooks at the front. Oh, and should you need to tow a caravan for a two-year family camping trip in the Tankwa-Karoo, the Raptor has an integrated heavy-duty tow-bar and towing capacity of 2500 kg.
Other doomsday-appropriate cars?
Not many of us have access to a Unimog, but 4x4-versions of the "regular" Ford Ranger, Toyota Hilux and Fortuner, VW Amarok and Nissan Navara, Haval H9, Renault Duster, Nissan X-Trail, Suzuki Jimny, Toyota RAV4, Subaru Forester, Mitsubishi Triton and Pajero Sport, and the Isuzu D-Max as well as the MU-X will make excellent cars to get away from it all. We reckon good ground clearance is paramount, and even if you don't own a four-wheel-drive vehicle, a rear diff-lock could come in handy.
Got a bit more dosh? The Mercedes-Benz Geländewagen,Toyota Land Cruisers and Land Cruiser Prado, Toyota FJ Cruiser, VW Touareg, Land Rover Discovery/Discovery Sport, new Defender, Range Rover Evoque, and Nissan Patrol are all very fit for the post-apocalyptic landscape. Better fill a few jerrycans with fuel before you set off, though, as most of these cars listed above are rather thirsty.
Related: Haval H9 vs. Land Cruiser Prado vs. Mitsubishi Pajero Sport
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