Prototype May Hint at Upcoming Ford Ranger Raptor
We already know the Ford Ranger will return to the U.S., but new spy shots could indicate the eventual arrival of an off-road oriented Ranger Raptor model as well.
The photos show a right-hand drive Ranger mule, evidence the vehicle was originally intended for a market such as Australia or Thailand before Ford brought it stateside for testing purposes. It appears the truck has been adorned with numerous off-road components including knobby tires, beefed up control arms and a heightened front bumper – parts similar to those that make the F-150 Raptor so well-loved by truck enthusiasts.
Ford would be smart to roll out an off-road version of the Ranger when the pickup arrives in 2019. The Chevrolet Colorado and Toyota Tacoma are both offered in off-road focused format and with Jeep preparing a mid-size pickup offering, it seems just about every mid-size truck on sale will place some emphasis on off-road capability.
SEE ALSO: 2019 Ford Ranger Spied Testing High in the Mountains
What will power Ford’s beefed-up Ranger is anybody’s guess. Its 245 horsepower 2.0-liter would be plenty powerful in the standard version of the pickup, but for this potential Ranger variant, we could see something a bit more muscular being used. Its 2.3-liter four-cylinder may be a good fit, which makes up to 350 horsepower in cars like the Focus RS, though its 350 horsepower 2.7-liter V6 would also be appropriate.
We’ll have more details on Ford’s upcoming off-road focused Raptor as its 2019 launch date nears.
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Sam McEachern holds a diploma in journalism from St. Clair College in Windsor, Ontario, and has been covering the automotive industry for over 5 years. He conducts reviews and writes AutoGuide's news content. He's a die-hard motorsports fan with a passion for performance cars of all sorts.
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why the "big is better" philosophy? bring back a basic 80's grocery getter & it maybe a seller.when an import jumps on the wagon with one THEN top brass will see the light,slow change as usual in Dearborn or maybe its the board who's lost its direction.gas$$$ will go up again,just a matter of time.
Hopefully the US version of the four door Ranger doesn't get screwed-up for the US market. It's proven to be a huge winner in Australia, Mexico and many other locations in the Americas and the rest of the world. I believe it's the best handling truck I've ever driven and I have a 2016 F-150 XLT and have had many SUV's and trucks through the years. I have the 2.2 diesel and it's a fine engine with plenty of power and superb handling at high speed, better than the F-150. I have the base model Ranger and the F-150 is more luxurious, I would prefer the Ranger with some of the similar F-150 upgrades including the power seat.