In Malaysia, performance-oriented diesel vehicles are a rare delight. They offer a lot more torque than most petrol and many hybrids can manage. But not just that, they’ve got a unique driving character to them — everything from the sound to the throttle response is different on a sporty diesel powered vehicle. We’ve had the opportunity to drive some very interesting performance-oriented diesel vehicles like the Mercedes-Benz C270 CDi and Mazda 6 2.2L, but we think the one that really captured our attention was the Ford Ranger Raptor.
Those other two vehicles are great, but there’s really not much that distinguishes them from their petrol alternatives besides their motors. With the Ranger Raptor, Ford Performance went all out to create a genuine off-road racer, improving the chassis and suspension to give it over 280mm of ground clearance and a much wider stance. They’ve also given it awesome sophisticated shock absorbers from Fox. It’s a different pick-up from the rest of the Ranger line-up, enough to justify its RM200,000 price tag.
At the heart of this amazing beast is an ultra-modern 2-litre (yes, just 2) 4-cylinder “EcoBlue” engine. This all-aluminium motor was designed to meet the latest Euro 6 emissions targets and yet it still manages to squeeze out 210 horses and 500Nm of torque. To meet these engineering extremes, Ford has given it 2 turbochargers — a smaller, high-pressure one to get sufficient boost on early and a larger, low-pressure turbo for higher revs, though both work together most of the time. This ensures the engine is able to optimally make power and maximise the advantages of its relatively low displacement. It’s worth noting that the Ford Ranger Wildtrak 4X4 also uses this engine and can also benefit from Euro 5 diesel.
Another very important component is the fuel injector system. This engine uses eight-hole nozzle piezo injectors that shoot diesel out at 2,000 bar. It’s an extremely high-pressure injector and having the cleanest fuel for the job is essential to keep the engine running well for an extended period of time.
An engine like this is a prime example of when to use Euro 5 diesel. And one of the best examples of Euro 5 diesel in Malaysia is actually available from BHPetrol. Euro 5 diesel by itself has one major advantage – it has very low sulphur content. This helps reduce wear and tear on the emissions control system and other engine components from the more acidic nature of older diesel fuel standards. The diesel particulate matter filter is also under less strain.
BHPetrol’s Euro 5 diesel, in particular, has double the recommended dose of additives and they use only premium German additives in their fuel. In older diesel engines, the sulphur content in the fuel was used to provide additional lubrication. Newer engines, like the one in the Ranger Raptor, are able to best take advantage of the lubricative properties of the additives added in by BHPetrol in their Euro 5 Diesel.
So if you’re an owner of a magnificent Ford Ranger Raptor or thinking of buying one while the SST holiday is still ongoing, you should definitely consider moving to the best fuel available. Treat your motor to the diesel it was designed for and you’ll get better mileage and lower maintenance in the long term. As a nice added bonus, you’ll also be treating the environment to lower sulphur emissions, which in turn lowers the change of acid rain precipitating.
