This is the 2022 Ford Bronco Raptor

If you thought getting hold of a new Ford Bronco was tough, the 2022 Ford Bronco Raptor is about to get SUV enthusiasts even more excited. Taller, wider, and more potent than the regular Bronco, it's the handiwork of Ford Performance and, the automaker claims, the most powerful street-legal Bronco so far.

It's also the first time that we've seen the Raptor brand expand beyond the F-150 Raptor, in the US at least. Globally, there's already a Ranger Raptor, but the 2022 Bronco Raptor now makes for a third in the overall truck line-up.

The Bronco Raptor is taller, wider, and more rugged

Right from first-glance, it's clear the Bronco Raptor is a different truck to the hotly-selling Bronco we're already familiar with. Dubbed the "ultimate vehicle for hardcore off-road enthusiasts who demand something more" by Carl Widmann, Ford Performance chief engineer, it's been upgraded to ride higher, be stiffer, and go further than the standard SUV.

There's a Raptor-specific version of the Bronco frame, fully-boxed and made of high-strength steel. It gets new shock towers – for more wheel travel and extra durability – along with heavy-duty bash and skid plates that protect everything from the front bumper right to the back of the engine, transmission, and transfer case. More B-pillar cross bar and C-pillar reinforcement add over 50% more body-in-prime torsional rigidity compared to a standard, four-door Bronco.

The Bronco DR race truck donates its axles, with a semi-float Dana 50TM Heavy-Duty AdvanTEK at the rear with 235 mm ring gear. The front gets a Dana 44TM AdvanTEK front-drive unit, complete with upgraded half-shafts with 210 mm ring gear. Overall, track width grows by a whopping 8.6-inches, for a total of 73.6-inches, while minimum ground clearance has increased 4.8-inches to at least 13.1-inches.

37-inch KO2 all-terrain tires (37x12.50R17LT) – on 17-inch black high-gloss painted alloys normally, but with a pair of Ford Performance-designed 17-inch x 8.5-inch beadlock-capable rims to choose between – are standard, with special front and rear control arms. The front gets 13-inches of travel; the rear has 14-inches. A Raptor HOSS 4.0 suspension system, co-developed with FOX, gets FOX 3.1 Internal Bypass Semi-Active Dampers that are 3.1-inches in diameter. Each taps suspension height sensors, among others, to independently adjust their settings according to feedback from the road.

Expect 400+ horsepower from the Bronco Raptor's V6

A beefier Bronco needs a more beastly engine, and that's just what Ford has delivered. The 3.0-liter EcoBoost V6 gets special Bronco Raptor tuning: Ford isn't giving exact power figures quite yet, but says to expect more than 400 horsepower.

It's paired with a 10-speed SelectShift automatic, the transmission also modified to suit the Bronco Raptor. A dual-exhaust system gets active valves, with the ability to choose between Normal, Sport, Quiet, and Baja modes for different levels of sound.

As for the 4x4 system, that has three modes and a higher-capacity clutch. It's paired with an upgraded transfer case, which has a 3.06 4x4 LO ratio for up to 67.7:1 crawl ratio. The G.O.A.T. Terrain Management System is carried over, with seven drive modes including a reworked Baja Mode and a new Tow/Haul setting. The latter is good for up to 4,500 pounds.

Trail Control, Trail Turns Assist, and Trail One-Pedal Driving are all standard. So too is Ford Co-Pilot360, with pre-collision assist with automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, forward collision warning, and dynamic brake support. There's also hill-start assist, blind spot warnings with cross-traffic alerts, lane-keeping alerts and assistance, and driver alert. Adaptive cruise control and evasive steering assistance are optional.

Four-door Bronco Raptor SUV styling looks tougher than ever

With the increased dimensions, Ford had to change the outer styling of the Bronco Raptor, clearly taking inspiration from the F-150 Raptor along the way. That starts with the FORD block lettering across the two-piece rectangular grille, flanked with unique LED headlamps with amber daytime running lamps and matching amber marker lamps.

Underneath, the modular steel bumper was designed by Ford Performance with integrated tow hooks, removable end caps – for improving off-road clearance – removable Rigid LED fog lamps, and Rigid off-road lamps. Four doors are standard, with no two-door option on the Bronco Raptor.

The hood has more aggressive sculpting, tapping sheet-molding compound to achieve a more dramatic shape. That includes a molded-in-color Carbon Black hood vent, and body color fender vents. The front and rear quarter-panels are new, and unique, along with the fenders, fender flares, and door appliqués. Reinforced rock rails – with removable running boards – also come as standard.

For paintwork, the standard finishes will consist of Hot Pepper Red Metallic, Velocity Blue Metallic, Eruption Green Metallic, Shadow Black, Iconic Silver Metallic, Area 51, Cactus Gray, Cyber Orange Metallic Tri-Coat, and Oxford White. There'll also be the Ford Performance-exclusive Code Orange. Ford will offer an optional Bronco Raptor Graphics Package for the truck, with splatter graphics on the rear bodysides and hood.

A no-nonsense cabin

Inside, it's a further mix of familiar and custom. The base Bronco Raptor has Black Onyx marine-grade vinyl seats and rubberized washout flooring, with Ford Performance Code Orange highlights and low-gloss carbon fiber accents on the trim. A digital 12-inch cluster with exclusive Performance View – highlighting tach and gear readings, and with a custom layout – is standard, too.

Options include laser-perforated Black Onyx Neo suede seats, a vinyl-wrapped instrument panel topper, leather-wrapped outer seat bolsters, and carpet flooring. There's also a Ford Performance sport-contoured steering wheel, which has magnesium paddle shifters and a gloss black Raptor logo.

Ford Performance has also designed the Bronco Raptor's front seats, with extra side bolstering. Code Orange seat belts are optional.

The standard High Package includes SYNC 4 on a 12-inch touchscreen, plus a 360-degree camera. There's also front parking sensors, a 7-speaker audio system with subwoofer, and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Opt for the Lux Package, and that adds a 10-speaker B&O audio system, heated steering wheel, navigation, wireless phone charging, and adaptive cruise.

2022 Bronco Raptor deliveries begin this summer

Ford says that the 2022 Bronco Raptor order books will open in March 2022, though whether you'll find space in one is questionable. The majority of the 2022 allocation will go to existing reservation holders, Ford says, and that it will begin contacting those potential customers later this month. Whether that will include certain high-profile celebrities who have already voiced their interest, as Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson did on Twitter today, remains to be seen.

Pricing will be confirmed closer to the orders being taken, though with the Bronco Wildtrak currently sitting at the top of the lineup from around $48k, expect somewhere north of that for this more potent version. Production will take place at the Michigan Assembly Plant, with the first deliveries scheduled from summer 2022.