2023 Ford Bronco Raptor

When you don’t want to get your 289 Cobra muddy, and your GT 350 just doesn’t have enough ground clearance, what is a Ford guy to do?

That should be obvious they climb into their Bronco Raptor. Now don’t be judgmental. Technically the Bronco isn’t a Sports Car, but hear me out.

This machine proudly wears the Ford Performance badge, and you will find it in several places around the machine, so it’s no poseur. It may not be right on the tail of a GT3 RS on the PCH, even though it does curvy roads super well with not too crazy body roll, but when the Porsche comes to a washed-out section of the highway, the Bronco says, “Auf Wiedersehen Mein Schatz.”

This ride is no slouch. The 418 hp 3.0-liter twin-turbo intercooled DOHC 24-valve EcoBoost V6 boasting 440lb-ft of torque mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission takes this 5,733 lbs horse from 0-60 in 5.6 seconds and has an electronically limited top speed of 114 mph. To whoa, the Bronco Four-wheel power disc brakes with a four-sensor, four-channel anti-lock braking system and electronic stability control.

It’s not going to beat a Tesla set in Plaid mode in a drag race, but you won’t have to worry about searching for a charging station when you are running Chicken Corners out of Moab.

The current Bronco has grown since it was first introduced on August 11th, 1965, just like the Hurácan STO is the larger relative to the Lamborghini 350 GT. With the increase in size, Ford is able to pack on the goodies such as: Body-on-frame sitting on a fully boxed high-strength steel frame with seven cross members; Raptor HOSS 4.0 (High-Performance Off-Road Stability Suspension) system with low-mass independent front suspension; Five-link solid rear axle with Panhard rod and outboard coilover springs, with FOX Live Valve technology with position-sensitive damping and FOX 3.1 Internal Bypass Semi-Active Dampers uniquely tuned at the front and rear using integrated reservoirs in front, with remote reservoirs in the rear. With suspension travel of 13 inches in the front and 14 inches at the back, show me any Ferrari that has that.

Your Maserati may go 185, but it doesn’t have these settings: Three-mode rack-and-pinion steering with standard comfort and sport modes controlled via Terrain Management SystemTM with G.O.A.T. Modes (Goes Over Any Type of Terrain).

Like many other high-performance machines, you rarely experience their full potential. Not the Bronco Raptor, not on my watch. I found NORA.

Northeast Off-Road Adventures, Inc., better known as NORA, was founded by Scott Trager. It came about from his passion for driving his 2002 Jeep. He joined the Hudson Valley 4 Wheelers and soon became a club officer, enjoying monthly wheeling trips with his family in all kinds of weather. In 2011, he was burnt out from the 60-hour week corporate grind as a project/product manager and global team leader at a major financial multimedia company. As an engineer, Scott loved to build things. As an adjunct college professor, he loved to teach and mentor. Scott wanted to align his professional passions with his off-road passion and create a sustainable business, and NORA was founded with the support of family and friends.

NORA offers 4WD & Overland training, driving tours, team outings, and adventure programs serving commercial, government, and private sector clients. NORA’s unique SOAR program helps guests and groups with mobility disabilities enjoy adaptive outdoor recreation. Venues include their private 75-acre mountaintop facility in Ellenville, NY, and Hunter Mountain Ski Resort. Their certified instructors and professional guides provide a highly structured learning experience focusing on safety.

Running up Tempaloni Road outside of Ellenville, NY, on your way to NORA would start to give your Hellcat agida, but it is just a mild warm-up for the Raptor.

We took on obstacles such as Pucker Ridge (it does it to you) and steep descents like Everest with the help of instructor Alex Trager. The Bronco didn’t even break a sweat. It cruised the trails like it was traveling on a brand-new highway. The front and overhead cameras overlay a tread pattern on the ground so you know where your wheels are, and you never make a wrong move.

The Raptor was so competent Alex might be changing his religion from Jeep to Bronco.

After getting dirty, but never stuck, we headed onto the country roads of upstate NY. The Raptor was once again in its element, eating up the miles on winding mountain roads and asking for more. I had no problem keeping up with a friend driving with extra enthusiasm, as there was a plate of ribs with his name on them waiting at an outdoor BBQ on the banks of the Hudson River.

On the way home, I was amazed at how civilized the Ford could be. It was a smooth and comfortable ride. If there is some road noise, just turn up the 10-speaker B&O sound system. There was no driver fatigue after a full day behind the wheel, as the seats are as nice as any European GT. You can’t relegate the Bronco to a niche market when all is said and done… It is an all-around performance machine.

Like other modern vehicles, it has all the modern conveniences that you would ever want. Wireless phone connection, 360-degree camera, 12-inch LCD touchscreen with swipe capability, heated steering wheel, and a wireless charging pad.

Everything you would expect on a high-end ride, but a Bentley will be left whimpering at the trailhead while you go in search of new adventures. Another thing the Bronco has, and it has it by the truckload, is attitude.

Why does someone buy a bright orange McLaren or drive a Panther Pink Charger or a Plum Crazy Cuda? Attitude. You’ve got power, you’ve got speed, you’ve got attitude. You’re going to show it off!

There are those times you don’t want to see the world from your Koenigsegg. You want to rise above it all behind the wheel of a Raptor.

Whether you are blasting out to the Hamptons, scaring the Cayennes and Range Rovers at the pick-up line at your kid’s grade school, or climbing rocks in Utah, you will have plenty of everything in Ford’s very badass Bronco Raptor.