For years, New Zealand ute owners have been modifying their workhorses to their liking. And now that large double-cab utes rule the land, lift kits and mud tyres make up the majority of these aftermarket modifications.
Considering that New Zealand's favourite ute is the humble Ford Ranger, the hype around the Ranger Raptor heading our way made sense, but was bittersweet as it still wasn't the beefy F-150 Raptor that is sold Stateside.
Arguably, no amount of modifications will ever turn the Ranger Raptor into a true F-150 Raptor replica (even a Mustang V8) but these guys in Thailand have done a pretty convincing job with this kit.
It may not feature the same mammoth proportions as its American-built cousin, but this Raptor replica actually looks surprisingly good, and is the closest that a Ranger has ever come to a true Raptor in our opinion.
At the front, a tough F-150 front fascia replaces the Ranger's nose, which is significantly wider to match up with the huge front guards. You'll find the same widened guards at the rear, which house the huge wheels and off-road tyres.
Interestingly, the team managed to make the Ranger's standard tailgate work with the rest of the kit, but has replaced the taillights with a pair of F-150 examples.
After the kit is installed, it will be up to the owner to source and fit a suspension kit and wheels that are big enough to fill out the sizable guards.
You'd also have to tune the 3.2-litre turbo diesel found in most Rangers, and the 2.0-litre turbo diesel in others to achieve the power required to match the looks.
Here's what's included in the package:
- F-150 Raptor Hood
- F-150 Front bumper
- F-150 Front widebody with fenders
- F-150 Headlights
- F-150 Taillights
- F-150 Rear widebody with fenders
- Plug and Play (with accessories to install)
Kantep Imported Car Accessories notes that the kit will take 3-4 weeks to ship, and isn't a "budget meal". We assume that this means that it's not cheap, not that you'd expect a kit of this calibre to be cheap.
If you are interested in purchasing the kit for your Ranger, flick Kantep Imported Car Accessories a message on Facebook to place an order.