Ford will race this biofuel-powered Ranger Raptor at Baja 1000

Ford originally developed the Raptor nameplate with the Baja California desert in mind. Now, it's time for another Blue Oval vehicle to take on the challenge of one of the toughest off-road races in the world.

Conceived by Ford Performance in collaboration with Australia's Kelly Racing and US-based Lovell Racing, the Ford Ranger Raptor has been prepared to tackle the SCORE International Baja 1000. Powered by a low-carbon biofuel, the truck will also demonstrate the potential of sustainable fuels in demanding environments.

Shell provided the low-carbon biofuel blend which consists of more than 30% sustainably sourced bio components. This is in line with Ford's commitments to research and develop alternative fuel options across all of its vehicles while also introducing fully-electric cars.

Built to compete in the stock class, the Ford Ranger Raptor was fitted with a three-inch suspension lift, a bull bar, and wider wheel arches to fit the meaty BFGoodrich tires. For safety purposes, Ford also installed a full roll cage inside. Meanwhile, the tailgate has been removed for easy access to the spare tires and jack located in the truck bed.

A right-hand-drive version of the vehicle was first built and tested in Australia before it was brought over to the US for final development and testing prior to the Baja race.

The high-performance truck is yet to be sold in North America, making the Baja 1000 desert race a perfect place to demonstrate the Ranger Raptor's capabilities before it rolls off on US dealerships later in the year.