Bronco Raptor Falls Well Short of Wrangler 392 Power

Bronco Raptor is the most capable Ford SUV, but it will still struggle to keep up with the Wrangler.

Since the Rubicon 392 was introduced, the Jeep Wrangler has held a commanding power lead in the world of high performance off-roading SUVs. With 470 horsepower, the naturally aspirated Hemi offers gobs more power than the twin turbocharged V6 in the Bronco at 330 horsepower, but we have known for some time now that a stronger, more capable Ford SUV was on the way in the form of a new Raptor.

Well, the Ford Bronco Raptor officially last month and, as expected, it has a stronger engine. However, with promise of “more than 400 horsepower”, the twin turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 is almost certainly going to be well behind the Wrangler 392.

Bronco Raptor Details

The Ford Bronco Raptor is far more than just a larger EcoBoost engine, as the Motor Company has made upgrades to legitimately make it a better off-road vehicle. Unfortunately for Ford off-roading fans, one of those upgrades is not a solid front axle.

Ford started by upgrading the chassis to include a fully-boxed frame made from lots of high strength steel with upgrade front and rear axle assemblies, widening the track by 8.6 inches. That made plenty of room for the 37-inch tires, the largest in the class, while the Raptor HOSS 4.0 race-ready suspension system with Fox Live Valve 3.1 dampers leads to 13.1 of ground clearance. To make room for the wider track, Ford added huge wheel flares that look like they came from the JC Whitney catalog.

Finally, as mentioned above, the Ford Bronco Raptor has a unique engine compared to the rest of the lineup. The twin turbocharged 3.0-liter EcoBoost V6 offers 400 horsepower and 415 lb-ft of torque in the Explorer ST and in the Bronco Raptor, Ford is promising more than 400 horsepower. Ford loves providing vague numbers for their performance vehicles before the vehicles actually come to market, but the actual number is usually not much higher than the “at least” number.

Wrangler 392 Vs Bronco Raptor

So the Bronco Raptor has a slightly bigger tire and a slightly more advanced suspension system than the Wrangler 392, but it will have to be proven in the real world whether those upgrades make it the better off-road vehicle. We have tested the Bronco Badlands with the Sasquatch package at the same off-road park as the Wrangler 392 Xtreme Recon and the Jeep was clearly more capable in every situation, even before looking at the power difference. Ultimately, the bigger, bulkier Bronco Raptor is going to struggle to keep up with the Wrangler 392 in tight quarters based on its size, but the chassis, suspension and tire upgrades may allow Ford to close the gap a bit.

As for power levels, we know that Ford has said that the Bronco Raptor will have more than 400 horsepower, per the press release. We also know that the same basic engine offers 400 horsepower and 415 lb-ft of torque in the Explorer ST and the 3.5-liter EcoBoost in the F-150 Raptor offers 450 horsepower and 510 lb-ft of torque. It is safe to say that the 3.0-liter V6 in the Bronco Raptor is not going to pack more power than the 3.5-liter EcoBoost in the F-150 Raptor, so it will likely be in the area of 425 horsepower and 450 lb-ft of torque.

If the Bronco Raptor has around 425 horsepower and 450 lb-ft of torque, it will fall well short of the Wrangler 392 at 470 horsepower and 470 lb-ft of torque. In addition to the horsepower and torque differential, the 392 offers quicker power delivery without the lag of the twin turbo V6. Oh, and the Wrangler weighs a couple hundred pounds less than the current Bronco, so the Raptor with beefier parts will likely be even heavier.

In short, the Bronco Raptor has less horsepower, less torque, weighs more and is bigger than the Wrangler 392, so while it might be the most off-road-capable Ford SUV, it will still struggle to keep up with the legendary Jeep.

Bronco images courtesy of Ford

Photos: Patrick Rall

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Patrick Rall

"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.

"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.

"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.

"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.

"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.

"Being based on Detroit," says Rall, "I never miss the North American International Auto Show, the Woodward Dream Cruise and Roadkill Nights, along with spending plenty of time raising hell on Detroit's Woodward Avenue with the best muscle car crowd in the world.

Rall can be contacted at QuickMirada@Yahoo.com

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