Take this news with the appropriate dosage of salt: a trusted source has assured us that Ford plans to give the off-road treatment to the next Ford Ranger mid-size pickup, building a high-performance Ford Ranger Raptor to slot-in below the all-new, 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor.
At this point, Ford has yet to officially confirm that the regular, run-of-the-mill Ford Ranger is returning to the US market, let alone a top-notch performance variant. But a recent comment from UAW Local 900 Plant Chairman Bill Johnson suggests that both a new Ranger pickup and Bronco SUV will indeed be coming to Ford’s Michigan Assembly Plant. Beyond that, we remain hopeful that our source is correct, and the automaker would build a performance variant of the former.
What Will The Ford Ranger Raptor Look Like?
We can only speculate as to how Ford might go about Raptor-izing the next Ranger. It seems likely that the standard model will follow in the footsteps of the 2015+ F-150 and 2017+ Super Duty, donning a body comprised largely of high-strength aluminum alloy; logically, the Ford Ranger Raptor would most probably retain that lightweight skin. Motivation would likely come from a smaller, less-potent engine than the one in the F-150 Raptor, with a tuned version of Ford’s 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6 being the obvious choice.
Outside of those details, the truck practically designs itself; Fox Racing Shox, an advanced four-wheel-drive system, all-terrain tires, and the F-150 Raptor’s six-mode Terrain Management System are all likely standard equipment.
The next-generation Ford Ranger pickup is expected to start production at Ford’s Michigan Assembly Plant sometime in 2018. We’d guess that the Ford Ranger Raptor wouldn’t be too far behind – at least if the automaker intends to count it as one of its twelve performance products due out by 2020.
Comments
You don’t have any source. Stop writing “articles” for the sake of clicks. Nothingauthority.com is more accurate.
There’s no rumor because it’s a fact. If I had the picture I was shown over the summer whIle up in MI, you would be like holy shit. The already buit concept I saw, was a beautiful truck. My source is from a relative who’s well respected by certain people in Ford.
I wonder what the price will be for a new Ranger. I’ve been saving every dime I can for the past few years, but even $50,000 won’t get me close to a well-optioned Raptor or even a nicely-equipped F-150 XLT.
It’s depressing.
There is no concept Ranger Raptor. However, there are some Ranger Wildtracks in Australia and Asia that have been customized to look like Raptors. Those are the photos that are all over Pinterest and other web sites.
If Ford decides to build an off-road version of the Ranger – the company will be sure to make it look much different than the full size F-150 Raptor because the last thing Ford wants to do is compete with itself by offering a smaller, cheaper version of its flagship truck.