Ford Thailand is showing off its new Ford Thailand Racing (FTR) Ranger race truck, and it looks the business, with a bold blue livery, some intense aero aids, and . . . a 3.2-liter inline-five turbodiesel engine? This definitely isn’t the sort of race truck we’re used to here in the States, one built for track work rather than desert blasting, but it only takes a few minutes of watching some of the Thailand Super Series Super Pickup class competition to realize this truck series is a lot of fun.
Remember, Ford has deep truck roots in Thailand, and manufactures the Ranger there. In fact, the Ranger Raptor made its global debut in Thailand back in 2018. But while this was once a regular production four-door Ranger, it’s not that anymore, although it is based on a real Ranger (unlike NASCAR’s truck series, which uses tube-frame creations that have nothing to do with production trucks).
FTR fitted this Ranger with a Raptor grille, a deep front air dam, a massive rear diffuser, and a big, adjustable rear wing to increase grip at speed. A full cage and a Racetech race bucket keep things secure inside, and Öhlins suspension and big Wilwood brakes aid with stopping. The turbodiesel engine is tuned, but FTR isn’t talking final figures. Interestingly, the Raptor’s multi-link rear suspension isn’t used here; it’s instead a conventional leaf spring setup.
If you want a closer look, CB Media got a peek at the truck at Bira Circuit during testing, speaking with Thai-Norwegian driver Sandy Stuvik about his impressive truck.
