For 2019, Ford is giving its midsize Ranger pickup the “Raptor” treatment, gracing the truck with bolstered performance and rugged, off-road-ready equipment to seduce off-roading enthusiasts in myriad different markets around the globe. Yet where the Ford F-150 Raptor packs a big, potent, petrol-gulping 3.5L EcoBoost V6 capable of up to 450 horsepower of grunt, the new Ford Ranger Raptor was announced with a much smaller, much less powerful mill: a 2.0-liter bi-turbo diesel I4. Has Ford made a huge mistake?
Well, no – at least, not according to Ford’s Vice President of Product Development in the Asia Pacific market, Trevor Worthington. Australian motoring news outlet CarAdvice recently spoke to Worthington regarding the Ford Ranger Raptor’s sole powerplant options, and was told that “the vast majority of the 200 markets that we sell Ranger – and when I say a ‘vast majority,’ I mean 99 percent – are all diesel markets.
“It’d be like turning up with something that people wouldn’t even consider buying.”
Worthington seemed to suggest that Ford didn’t even look at offering a petrol powerplant – much less a petrol V6 – in the Ford Ranger Raptor, as “the job always was: ‘What’s the best diesel power pack that we can find, balanced across all the attributes, that’s going to work in all of those markets and with all kinds of people?'”
He went on to say: “I think the only V6 diesel that we have is a 3.0-liter V6, and I’m pretty sure it wouldn’t fit even if we tried to make it fit.”
Of course, if 99 percent of the markets where the Ford Ranger Raptor will be sold are diesel markets, the United States exists within that one percent that isn’t. Ford hasn’t officially confirmed that the new, midsize off-roader will be sold in North America, but spy photographers have spotted LHD prototypes on American soil enough times to suggest it’s coming. So far, all of these prototypes have had the distinct sound of a diesel engine, but we would be stunned if the North American version didn’t offer a more powerful petrol option.
According to CarAdvice, which recently had the chance to test the new Ford Ranger Raptor, the truck requires some 10.4 seconds to reach 100 kmph from a standstill. Will American buyers, who’ve been trained to understand that “Raptor” stands for awesome power and speed, settle for such performance? Probably not.
Comments
Well if that’s the case then he can keep it! The new 2.7 V6 petrol can fit I’m sure – my brother in law has that engine in a reg cab F150 and it seems a great engine. Too bad!
the diesel would match the zr2 chevy but would make sence to drop the 2.7tt in to compete with the v6 model. Theyll do it but mabey the 2.3tt can be hopped up to do that. If they want to win the sales war that is.
Ford isn’t going to do anything that puts the baby Raptor in the same galaxy power-wise as its big brother. They would rather get rid of every other model than lose the F-150 best seller status. They are THAT insecure…
Great attitude on….. NO….. V/6 Ford. Then don ‘t build the Ranger . You expect Joe car buyer to buy …..what you tell him to buy , what you know he want’s and he better shut up and spend “his” $50,000.00. These are the same decision makers that discontinued the American Ranger at the same time the mid sized truck market took off like a rocket and now they want back in.
Even though the Trump administration has indicated that it is willing to relax the previous administration’s tough CAFE
standards, Ford soldiers on like good little servants of the eco-zealots , downsizing all of it’s powerplants. While their
3.5L & 2.7L Ecoboost V6s are powerful engines, they are not very fuel efficient and lack the wonderful sound of a V8.
So far, Ford has stated that a turbo four will be the only engine in the standard Ranger. This engine, they say, will be
similar to the engine in the FOCUS RS. However, the new Ranger is going to be a 4,000+ lb vehicle.
If you are in the market for a smaller truck…and performance; my advice is to wait awhile longer. It is rumored that
FCA is considering the return of the Dakota mid-size truck. And, as you well know, they have no problem stuffing
V8 engines in about everything they make for the American market.
Funny how this will work out. I’ve been a Ford guy all my 71 years and have been waiting to buy the new Ranger and now I’m waiting to buy a Dakota. I will not spend $50,000.00 for a 4 cylinder pickup. Wake up Ford!!!
I agree! I’ll stick with Tacoma though as Toyota didn’t abandon the mid size market.
Chevy: V6 Optional
Toyota: V6 Optional (and a darn good one too)
Dodge: [remains to be seen] But: if they do bring out a new mid-size, it’s a safe bet a V6 will be an option and
maybe a V8 Hemi.
Ford: I-4: you don’t need no stinkin’ V6 !
What’s wrong here? In -advance-, Ford blows off a significant block of potential buyers. If the expect buyers to shell out
$40k+ for a new Ranger, it better have a V6…. at least as an option.
Diesels are outdated and dirty. For a Ford exec to say that no-one would buy a Raptor fitted with a petrol powered 2.3 eco boost engine is simply not true. I would for a start and i’m here in Thailand, the home of the Ute.
The current 2 litre diesel is short of wind and the higher output eco boost is exactly what it needs.
Fair dinkum.