This 2022 Ford Bronco Raptor May Be The Fastest One In The World To 60

Lethal Performance tuned their 2022 Ford Bronco Raptor to deliver a 0-60 mph sprint in the late 5-second range.

The Ford Bronco is among the best contenders in the midsize segment. The Raptor, on the other hand, is in a league of its own. Ford equipped the Bronco Raptor with several bespoke touches and plenty of off-road gear, essentially making it a force to be reckoned with. Needless to say, the Bronco Raptor can traverse any terrain known to mankind. And the best part is, it wouldn't sweat one bit.

What we can confidently say is that Ford has done a cracker of a job, one-upping itself, with this ridiculous off-road SUV. However, it was never meant to set the tarmac on fire. That is, until Lethal Performance stepped in.

Essentially, the guys installed a JB4 tune, improving the Bronco Raptor's power figures. Furthermore, the team ran a Whipple Calibration, allowing smoother shifts, better mid-range, and insane 0-60 times. That's right, this 2022 Ford Bronco Raptor is capable of hitting 60 mph in the late 5-second range.

That's a pretty impressive feat for something that weighs around 5,700 pounds. What's more, the available driving modes are also enhanced with better shift points and, of course, more power. The driving experience is elevated to a whole new level, and here's what we think of it.

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The racy-Bronco is equipped with competition-level off-road technology and hardware. Ford added a bit more flavor to the otherwise boring credentials of the Bronco. The 2022 Raptor gets the twin-turbo 3.0L V6 that's offered in a variety of Ford and Lincoln models. However, Ford Performance tuned the powerplant to put out 418 horsepower and 440 lb-ft of torque.

The guys at Lethal Performance took the stock Bronco Raptor and gave it the Whipple treatment, along with a JB4 map. The Raptor in question comes with the Whipple Calibration and Megacooler installed. The stock Bronco Raptor puts out 318 horsepower at the wheels while torque sits at 358 lb-ft. With the map, however, the Bronco Raptor gained 62 wheel horsepower and 74 wheel torque, which is quite a significant jump. These results were with Map 5, per Lethal Performance, which incidentally, wasn't the best tune overall.

Map 4 happens to be the best. The results of various dyno tunes can be seen by visiting their website. According to the team, during the run of Map 5, you can see a dip in the graph where they believe either a knock occurred or the Raptor's ECM detected a torque value exceeding the factory set limit, and therefore attempted to limit torque. Verus the Map 5 tune, Map 4 reduces the power and torque values by 16 wheel horsepower and 5 wheel torques, so the total sits at 363 whp and 428 units of wtq.

With the JB4 tune, this 2022 Bronco Raptor managed to hit 0-60 mph in as low as 5.72 seconds. The best the stock Bronco Raptor managed was 6.25 seconds, so this is a significant jump—half a second is not a small feat, especially since the truck is running aftermarket rims. Wheel and Tire specs are Vossen HF6-5s in 20x10-18 Offset wheels wrapped in Nitto Ridge Grapplers 37x13.5x20 tires.

On the JB4 0-60 runs, an octane booster was added to the fuel to ensure a high enough fuel quality for Maps 4 and 5. Also, each 0-60 was essentially back-to-back without a cool-down in order to record the most accurate, real-world results. Honestly, the JB4 map and Whipple Calibration really make a difference in how the Bronco launches from a standstill. What's also interesting is that the top 0-60 runs were in rear-wheel-drive, which highlights the impressive traction and how the software tune is putting the power down.

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Ford gave the Bronco Raptor an impressive set of off-road features. The SUV gets a 10-speed auto, with front and rear locking differentials and a disconnecting front anti-roll bar. Also available is a four-wheel-drive system featuring Ford's G.O.A.T (Goes Over Any Type of Terrain) mode selector. Seven driver-selectable modes include a uniquely tuned Baja Mode that activates a turbo anti-lag calibration to maximize performance over high-speed desert runs. Other setups are fairly straightforward. These help make the Bronco Raptor more versatile across demanding scenarios. In addition to high-speed desert capabilities and crawling over rocks, this Bronco is also capable of towing 4,500 pounds.

In addition to this, Ford Performance collaborated with FOX to develop competition-level off-road suspension for the Bronco Raptor. The arsenal consists of 3.1-inch semi-active dampers and FOX's live valve integrated controllers on all four shocks. Suspension height sensors and other sensors at each corner monitor terrain conditions independently hundreds of times every second and adjust suspension tuning accordingly.

Ford has given the Bronco Raptor quite a few bespoke design elements. You get a unique grille design with layered protrusions that give the front fascia a dominating appeal. A similar design can be seen on Ford's larger F-150 Raptor, making the design ethos cohesive across the range. Together with those fender flares, the Bronco Raptor sits 9.8 inches wider than a standard Bronco. Also, the new Raptor stands 13.1 inches high off the ground and has a wider track—73.6 inches versus 65.0 inches of the base Bronco. The contoured front bumper design enhances the overall presence, exposing a portion of the massive front tires.

On the inside, we are greeted by suede upholstery and heavily bolstered front seats. There are quite a few Ford Performance and Raptor insignias, with the most interesting piece found in the center stack. It's worth pointing out that the Bronco Raptor comes with marine-grade vinyl seats and rubberized washout flooring, something off-road fanatics would appreciate.

The Bronco Raptor features a familiar heritage-inspired horizontal dash, integrating an all-digital 12-inch cluster. The cluster allows drivers to select from various views, including a model-exclusive Performance View that emphasizes tachometer and gear readings for a more involving drive experience. As standard, the 2022 Bronco Raptor gets a 12-inch touchscreen infotainment with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity.

With learnings from the F-150 Raptor, Ford Performance has taken a no holds barred approach with this off-road beast. Frankly, the 2022 Bronco Raptor is perhaps the most ridiculous factory 4x4 you’ll find in the market. Of course, there is the Raptor R, but it's a full-size pickup. Truth be told, the Bronco Raptor has enough oomph to get you through the gnarliest of terrains without much drama.

Overall, if you own a Bronco Raptor, we don't really need to tell you how it is. But if you felt that it's lacking a bit of power or refinement in driving or when shifting gears, Lethal Performance's Bronco build is a pretty sweet upgrade to have, eliminating some of the factory shift lags and unlocking more power. Would we install those Vossen rims, though? Maybe not, but hey! Each to their own.

Source: YouTube/Lethal Performance

Cars have had a profound impact on Kiran ever since he was a toddler. This grew with age, ballooning to such an extent that he graduated with a degree in automotive engineering and now devotes himself to penning down all things motoring.