After doing some "rally tourism" and driving Raptor Ranger on New Zealand roads, Ken Block has given Ford's off road ute a stellar review on both his Facebook and Instagram accounts.
Ahead of the International Rally of Whangarei this weekend, Ford New Zealand gave the world-famous driver two Raptor Rangers to familiarise himself with the Northland roads. We're not too sure why he would need two of them, but we can't imagine that he's complaining about it.
While the Ranger is a far cry from the Ford Escort that he is going to be competing in this weekend, the ute will certainly have comfort on its side, and Block seems sold on one already.
"I like. A Lot! Ken begins.
“We don’t get these in America, so it’s a treat to be able to drive some “forbidden fruit” Fords when I’m abroad. It’s got a lot of very similar equipment like my F-150 Raptor back home: Fox Shocks, skid plates, aggressive off-road tires, etc. and it was definitely a lot of fun hustling this a bit down the Motu stage here while doing some rally tourism!"
Comparing the ute to his F150 at home, Block mentions the suspension and off road upgrades of the Raptor - something that he's very familiar with. Though it is a capable machine when taken off the beaten track, we can imagine that it's a lot tamer than his Cosworth that he's touring the world with.
The 371hp 'Cossie' is the second version of the car that met an unfortunate end when it caught fire and burnt to the ground just a couple of years ago. Power is sent to all four wheels through a six-speed sequential gearbox.
To honour the car's rallying heritage, it is finished in a gorgeous retro livery that throws things back to the Group A rally days.