As with most things in the world, you can always make something good even better.
Unless you've been living under a rock, you'd have noticed by now that the newly revealed, performance-orientated Ranger Raptor has been getting a bit of a kicking. A hard one.
"It's reduced towing capacity is a joke", "Why is the engine smaller", "Only milk comes in two litres", and on and on it goes...
So what do you do if the Ranger Raptor doesn't tickle your fancy? Save yourself a couple of grand, get a second-hand 3.2-litre Ranger, and do some tinkering - that's what.
As you would've guessed with a car of this popularity, a quick Google search brings up plenty of Ranger-specific tuners and diesel performance specialists.
Here's a handful of the ones we came across.
It must be said, however, that there's a good chance that Ford will void any existing manufacturer warranty related to the parts that you change or alter.
So before you do any mods to your car, keep your eyes open and bloody read the fine print.
Diesel Tuning Australia
Offering an 18 per cent gain in power and torque - from a tested 114kW/512Nm to 134kW/606Nm - for the (2012-2017) Ford Ranger 3.2 diesel, Diesel Tuning Australia also promises a reduction in fuel economy from 8.3 L/100km down to 6.6 L/100km.
Diesel Tuning Australia also says that you shouldn't have any issues with passing a registration check, post-tune, and if you wish, they'll restore your ECU to its factory settings for free. But only once.
The tune will also result in an estimated 1780kg reduction of C02 emissions every 40,000km. Though I doubt anyone cares about that.
Tickford
Unlike some aftermarket tuning companies, Tickford has a very strong relationship with one manufacturer; choosing not to diversify with multiple brands, but rather just stick to one - Ford.
And as you'd expect, that means that there's a lot on offer for the Ranger.
Should you feel as if your Ranger isn't good enough with just a performance boost (from 147kW/470Nm to 169kW/565Nm) from the company's $7500 Power Pack, Tickford will also sell you the Tourer and Adventure packs, ranging from $7990 to $9990, respectively.
You can even get side exhausts too. Sweet.
Ford Ranger PX2 by Harrop 4x4 Centre
There's a good chance that if you're into Australian aftermarket tuners, you've heard of Harrop. Actually, even if you aren't into tuning you should've heard of them.
Offering a whole range of kits and parts for the Commodore, Falcon, and Mustang, Harrop have now gotten their hands on the Ranger. Nice.
There's similar performance related upgrades as Diesel Tuning Australia - boosting power from 128kW/412Nm to 157kW/536Nm, thanks to Dynomotive - but unlike most tuning companies, Harrop has made their Ranger from a collection of in-house and outsourced parts.
It might be a project car, rather than a purchasable 'kit', but you should still pay attention - these guys know what they're doing.
On top of the engine's extra dollop of performance, there are specially hardened polyurethane bumpers, side steps and wheel arches, as well as a nice set of 18-inch Method NV Race Wheels and 285-section off-road Nitto tyres too.
Suspension gets an upgrade, with upgraded springs, shocks, and dampers from Tough Dog. You can even specify one of Harrop's front diff-locks too, should the standard rear and centre locking diff be 'inadequate'.
Honourable Mention
It's a Ford Ranger with a Coyote V8 from a FG-series FPV. Need I say more?
...anything other than "It's the duck's guts."
What do you think of the Ford Raptor Ranger? Would you rather spend your dosh on a performance upgrade for a second-hand model? Tell us what you think in the comments.
