Everyone loves the Ford F-150 Raptor.
A new version of Ford’s potent supertruck is due out for the 2017 model year, and already, fans are waiting for bated breath.
But according to Australian website CarsGuide, the full-size pickup might not always be the Blue Oval’s sole supertruck offering; rumor has it that the folks at Ford’s Global Performance division are taking a serious look at producing a Ford Ranger Raptor based on the mid-size pickup model.
Ford Performance Chief Vehicle Engineer Jamal Hameedi made a recent trip down to Australia, where the Ford Ranger is developed, and spent a full two days assessing the potential for a future Ford Ranger Raptor. His conclusion: “At the end of the day, we would love to do a vehicle like that but it all comes down to the business case. How many can we sell?”
If we had to hazard a guess, the automaker could sell quite a few Ford Ranger Raptor units. CarsGuide reports that many Australian dealers and private buyers, unable to satisfy dreams of owning a proper, Raptor-badged F-150, fit aftermarket grilles and decals to the Ranger so that they can play make-believe.
Moreover, while the Ford Ranger has steered clear of the US market since 2011, mid-size pickups have seen a resurgence thanks to the popularity of trucks like the GMC Canyon/Chevrolet Colorado. In light of this, it was recently revealed that production of the Ford Ranger could move into the Michigan Assembly Plant by 2018, and rejoin Ford’s North American lineup the next year.
In all likelihood, if Australia failed to purchase a Ford Ranger Raptor in great enough numbers to justify its production, America would be more than happy to pick up the slack.
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