2WD Rallying Is Not the Bronco Raptor’s Strong Suit

One only needs to take a look at the Ford Bronco Raptor to understand its intended function. While no one would dare question the SUV’s Baja-proven speed in the desert, the folks at Team O’Neil Rally School have raised an important question: can the Braptor rally? In the name of science, the team’s Wyatt Knox put the SUV through its sideways paces.

Tucked away in Dalton, New Hampshire, Team O’Neil Rally School is exclusively targeted towards drivers looking to improve their skill on loose surfaces. With about 600 acres of property lined with all sorts of skid pads, varying rally stages and genuine off-road courses, it’s the perfect place to run the Bronco Raptor through some rally shakedowns. This particular clip features the Raptor taking some shakedown runs on a gravel skidpad and slalom course, before ultimately taking on the stopwatch for a timed run down a stage. While not exactly the sort of thing this 5700-pound SUV was made to do, the Braptor has a few tricks up its sleeve.

That all starts with its powerful 3.0-liter EcoBoost V-6 engine, which provides 418 hp and 440 lb-ft of torque. The 10-speed automatic transmission gives you plenty of ratios to work with, though Knox does initially note that it hunts for gears a bit more than he’d like in automatic mode. That said, Knox ultimately does favor the automatic doing its own thing for rally endeavors by the end of the test. The truck’s suspension setup isn’t its strongest feature in a rally setting, as its 13-inches of front and 14-inches of rear travel ensure the Bronco leans over quite a bit when traction is still present. That of course is only exacerbated by the truck’s 37-inch tires, which help give the Bronco 13.1-inches of running ground clearance. Knox specifically mentions that you could flip one of these things as a result of that combination if you’re not mindful. The shakedown tests were completed in the SUV’s 2WD transfer case setting, with Sport Mode on and traction management fully off.