When you want to go fast and go strong on a sandy trail, the Ford Raptor should probably be the first name to look at. The sports truck born from the desire to conquer the Baja 1000 was a force to be reckoned with, and it still is. Even better, the Raptor offers exemplary off-road performance in terms of comfort and style (and air conditioning), which makes it very attractive to off-roaders and normal truck buyers.
The Raptor has a caveat, however. With its enormous weight and dimensions, both weight and agility are sacrificed. This is where all terrain utility vehicles (UTV) or side by side come in.
Boasting a shorter wheelbase and lighter bodywork than the Ford Raptor, UTVs are the vehicles of choice for serious off-roaders who want to go fast and dirty. The problem is that in exchange for lightness and maneuverability, the UTVs are bare, which means that you will be really dirty (and sweaty) off-road with these machines.
Knine Racing, however, wants to bridge that gap between the UTVs and the Ford Raptor, which brings us to that – the Mini Raptor (gallery above).
The Knine Mini Raptor is built on top of a Can-Am Maverick X3, but with a style that is undeniably that of Raptor. It has a closed cab configuration, which means it has air conditioning and dirt protection. It’s still light, however, tipping the scales at 2,500 pounds – a huge improvement over the 5,500-pound Ford Raptor.
For the engine, this will depend on customer preferences, which will also depend on the Can-Am base provided. The suspension can be a Fox 2.0 or 3.0, also depending on the owner’s wishes.
Just in case you are curious, here is a video of the Knine Mini Raptor making donuts on a sandy trail:
