Not each truck purchaser is chasing mud-slinging heroics or Baja-style bravado such as you get with the Raptor. Some simply need one thing that appears sharp, drives properly on the highway, and nonetheless hauls a trailer on the weekend. For these of us, Ford’s bought a distinct segment reply hidden in its rising Ranger lineup throughout the pond.
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The Ranger MS-RT stands out as Ford’s solely street-tuned pickup in Europe and the UK. Consider it because the Ranger Lobo North America didn’t get, a minimum of not but. It wears a large bodykit, sits decrease than some other Ranger, and brings a sportier angle with out ditching the core capabilities.
Developed with rally specialists M-Sport, the Ranger MS-RT (brief for M-Sport Street Know-how) targets consumers who need the feel and appear of a efficiency car however have no real interest in crawling over rocks or fording streams.
To see how that M-Sport DNA performs out in the actual world, we visited a Ford seller in Greece for a more in-depth look, and importantly, a back-to-back drive with the high-flying Raptor.
QUICK FACTS
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What Units It Aside From the Common Ranger
What instantly units the MS-RT aside is the brand new bodywork. Because of swollen entrance and rear fenders, the truck is 164 mm (6.5 inches) wider than its siblings. Filling these bulging arches are huge 21-inch alloy wheels, the biggest ever provided on a manufacturing Ranger.
A brand new entrance bumper with a deeper decrease part and a honeycomb grille provides the face a sportier vibe, whereas motorsport-style vents on the fenders and extra sculpted aspect skirts lean additional into the street-truck look.
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On the rear, the styling effort continues with an built-in ducktail spoiler on the tailgate and a secondary roof-mounted spoiler above the cab. The rear bumper homes an ornamental diffuser flanked by honeycomb textures. The one factor lacking? Actual exhaust ideas. The Raptor will get twin pipes, and it’s arduous to not discover the absence right here, particularly on one thing pitched as a high-performance road truck.
Our tester wore the subdued Command Gray paint, however brighter choices can be found, together with Quick Blue, Yellow Inexperienced, Frozen White, Metallic Carbonised Gray, and Metallic Agate Black.
Inside Tweaks and Tools
Photographs Thanos Pappas / Carscoops
Contained in the MS-RT, the modifications are refined however noticeable. Closely bolstered bucket seats with built-in headrests and blue-stitched Eco Leather-based upholstery give the cabin a sportier really feel. A thicker steering wheel rim and several other MS-RT logos spherical out the particular therapy.
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Past the visible updates, it’s commonplace Ranger fare with a stable record of apparatus: a 12-inch infotainment touchscreen, an 8-inch digital instrument cluster, heated entrance seats, and a collection of energetic security options. It’s well-equipped, however not excessive.
So, Is It The Sportiest Truck?
Let’s speak in regards to the apparent factor that units the MS-RT aside: its lowered stance. Sitting 40 mm (1.6 inches) nearer to the pavement than the Ranger Wildtrak, it rides on a revised suspension setup with firmer entrance dampers, retuned rear leaf springs, and wider tracks, all tuned for sharper dealing with. Floor clearance now lands someplace in SUV territory, not fairly car-low, however removed from off-roader tall. That, paired with its road-biased tires, makes it clear this Ranger isn’t meant for trails or terrain.
From the second you get behind the wheel of the Ranger MS-RT, you’re feeling such as you’re driving a scorching SUV quite than a ladder-frame pickup. You’re nonetheless sitting excessive with nice visibility throughout the car, however physique roll has been considerably decreased and the steering feels faster and extra direct.
On the draw back, the stiffer suspension and the 21-inch wheels with the low-profile tires (275/45R21) lead to journey consolation taking a toll, with most highway imperfections being felt within the cabin. After all, the road truck isn’t as stiff as a scorching hatch, however not almost as comfy as different members of the Ranger lineup both.
Some would possibly argue {that a} absolutely impartial rear suspension would higher swimsuit a road-focused truck like this. However the MS-RT retains its stable rear axle and leaf springs, which assist protect the complete 1,000 kg payload and three,500 kg towing figures. For consumers who want utility with their fashion, that’s a tradeoff value making.
The Engine: Acquainted however Untouched
Photographs Thanos Pappas / Carscoops
Beneath the hood is identical 3.0-liter V6 turbodiesel discovered within the Wildtrak, producing 237 hp and 600 Nm of torque. It’s paired with a 10-speed computerized and Ford’s e4WD full-time all-wheel drive system. It really works properly, however right here’s the factor; the styling guarantees greater than the powertrain delivers.
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There are not any efficiency upgrades, no tuning modifications, and no added grunt. For a truck that appears this imply, it seems like a missed alternative to not push the numbers a bit greater. On the very least, a gasoline choice would spice issues up and higher match the MS-RT’s visible drama.
The engine is paired completely with a 10-speed computerized, sending energy to all 4 wheels by means of the Ranger’s acquainted full-time 4WD system. It additionally retains the usual drive mode lineup that features Regular, Eco, Tow/Haul, Slippery, Mud/Ruts, and Sand, even when most of these gained’t see a lot use right here.
Throughout our time with the MS-RT, we caught to tarmac, which felt like the best name given the smooth, road-focused Continental ContiSportContact 5 tires that might in all probability flinch on the sight of a gravel path.
How Does Is Examine To The Raptor?
Photographs Thanos Pappas / Carscoops
Climbing into the Raptor proper after the MS-RT makes the peak distinction instantly apparent. You’re now not stepping in, you’re climbing up. The Raptor’s cabin additionally goes for a flashier vibe, with vibrant orange accents and Ford Efficiency scuff plates including some additional aptitude. The MS-RT skips the theatrics, however its inside nonetheless holds up simply nice with out the additional coloration or branding.
Driving the Raptor seems like floating, due to its Baja-ready suspension with long-travel geometry and plush Fox shocks that absorb absolutely anything. In a fast side-by-side take a look at, I rolled each vans over a curb. I barely seen it within the Raptor, undoubtedly felt it within the MS-RT. That mentioned, the Raptor’s smooth setup comes with trade-offs. There’s noticeable physique roll in corners and a few front-end dive below arduous braking, which makes the MS-RT the extra entertaining choice when the highway will get twisty.
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In terms of the powertrain, the Raptor clearly has the higher hand. Its 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 gasoline engine feels way more at residence in a efficiency truck, due to its additional horsepower and a soundtrack that’s really value listening to, in contrast to the quieter, barely torquier diesel within the MS-RT.
That mentioned, that is the EU-spec Raptor we’re speaking about, so output is capped at 288 hp (215 kW / 292 PS), properly under the complete 405 hp (302 kW / 411 PS) accessible within the North American model. Even so, it nonetheless outshines the MS-RT’s setup in each punch and character.
General, it wouldn’t harm if Ford gave the MS-RT a gasoline choice, or on the very least, bumped up the output of the prevailing 3.0-liter V6 turbodiesel to assist it stand other than the remainder of the V6-powered lineup. Because it stands, the efficiency simply doesn’t fairly match the truck’s aggressive appears to be like.
It’s Costly
After which there’s the pricing, conserving in thoughts that is Greece, the place automobile taxes are among the many highest in Europe. For instance, the bottom Ranger Raptor begins at €54,350 (about US$61,000) earlier than taxes and charges, however that determine jumps to €71,742 (round US$80,600) as soon as all the things is included. Within the States, the 405 hp Ranger Raptor begins from $56,070 (round €52,000) earlier than taxes (in Massachusetts, that’s 6.25%) and supply charges.
The seller quoted us €77,352 ($87,000) for this particular Raptor and a reduced €73,612 ($82,800) for the MS-RT, taxes included. That’s a €3,740 ($4,200) hole between the 2, principally as a result of markdown on the MS-RT. Price noting: the Raptor we have been photographing was already spoken for, which says rather a lot about the place the demand is. The MS-RT? Nonetheless ready for its second.
Verdict
The Ranger MS-RT is a uncommon breed, a correct road truck with actual presence, and we’re glad it’s a part of Ford’s lineup in Europe. With its 21-inch wheels, flared fenders, and reworked entrance finish, it’s arguably the best-looking Ranger trim you will get. Interval. On prime of that, the lowered suspension and chassis tweaks give it the sharpest on-road dealing with of any midsize pickup in Ford’s catalog.
That mentioned, it’s not with out compromises. The V6 turbodiesel stays untouched below the hood, and the drop in journey top comes on the expense of consolation and off-road capability. Then there’s the worth, which edges it dangerously near the Raptor, a truck that provides extra energy, extra versatility, and a fame that’s arduous to beat.
Nonetheless, for consumers in Europe and the UK who need a distinctive, low-slung midsize truck with road-focused dynamics and standout styling, the MS-RT delivers one thing genuinely completely different.
Particular due to Ford Hantzos in Kalamata, Greece, for giving us entry to the Ranger lineup.
