Are you familiar with that “Not sure if…” meme featuring the main character from Futurama? Good if you do because that’s what I had in mind prior to driving the Ford Ranger Raptor, half-wondering if the truck’s existence is nothing more than using the Raptor name to increase Ranger sales, or if it’s actually a proper machine to live up to its reputation.

But one just needs to go through the Ranger Raptor’s spec sheet to see that it means business, and no other detail puckers your lip more than the truck’s 2.5-inch Fox racing shocks.

This is heavy duty stuff here, and even the local Ford guys say that it was chosen not for its off-road capabilities, but rather for the Raptor to feel at home at speed and make jumps. Yes, this thing indulges you and your juvenile tendencies. Might as well, those all-terrain BF Goodrich tyres and their chunky tread pattern are exactly what a 10-year old you would choose.

Yet, it’s not there merely because of how it looks (okay, maybe a bit) but it’s what the Raptor needs. The Fox suspension gives 30 per cent more wheel travel while the wheel arch and oversized tyres give the body an extra 150mm of width on top of 50mm of additional height. And despite not quite designed for serious off-road work the Ranger Raptor still boasts a claimed wading depth of 850mm.

500Nm of torque is not unheard of in trucks, but it’s evidently clear that the Raptor feels made for it. Others can say that it has near equal power but at half the Raptor’s RM200k price tag although no other can match it for on-road performance.

Gear shifts are smooth all the way to eighth, with another extra two ratios just there for cruising and improving fuel efficiency. It’s a delicate dance of giving the power one would expect from a Raptor but not overdoing it to the point of really cranking up running costs.

The Ranger Raptor also comes with a list of tricks that include SYNC3 with support for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, in addition to Active Noise Cancelation, and Adaptive Load Control.

 You’ll notice that it’s not as extensive as the one for the Ranger Wildtrak and considering the Raptor’s price, perhaps should all be included as standard items too. And that’s just it, isn’t it?

Even with the truck’s ability to suck in attention from people around it – you wouldn’t believe how capable the Raptor seems to make people whip out their phone cameras just as good as a supercar – the price is always part of the conversation, and not for the best reasons.

Make no mistakes – the Ford Ranger Raptor is untouchable for pure truck-style shock and awe. It’s even got a naughty side to it as 500Nm would give. Need to do a mid-corner power-over tailout? Yes, it’ll comply. It just wants you to know it actually is built for speed.

SPECIFICATIONS