An undoubtedly interesting Ford Ranger concept dubbed the Storm debuted in Brazil back in March 2018. At that time, we hoped out loud that we might be lucky enough to see this off-road focused concept brought to production, and that it would arrive here the U.S., perhaps as a consolation prize for not getting the Ranger Raptor. And now, a couple of years later, the 2020 Ford Ranger Storm has been confirmed for production. Only problem is, this cool offroader was developed specifically for the Brazilian market. Insert the Price is Right losing horn here.
Ford Ranger Storm concept at 2018 Sao Paolo Auto Show
Regardless, this news is certainly exciting for our friends in South America. The 2020 Ford Ranger Storm is geared toward the ever-popular extreme sports and adventure segment. The concept was obviously well-received at its Sao Paulo Auto Show debut, offering up a desirable mix of content at a friendly price point, thus it made sense for Ford to move forward in bringing it to production.
The exterior of the 2020 Ford Ranger Storm certainly looks the part, with a giant “Storm” script replacing the usual Ford logo on the grille. Interestingly, the Blue Ford oval is placed above the Storm script at the upper portion of the grille.
The Storm also has a host of black exterior accents, including stripes on the hood and doors, fender flares, running boards, and wheels. A set of tinted taillights comes straight from the Wildtrak. Even better, the first 60 buyers will receive a snorkel and rear canopy for those deep woods excursions.
The mechanical side of the 2020 Ford Ranger Storm also measures up to its rugged looks, with the Ford 3.2L turbo-diesel five-cylinder engine cranking out 200 horsepower and a beefy 346 pound-feet of torque. The diesel five mates to a six-speed automatic transmission in this configuration. Four-wheel-drive and a locking rear differential wrap up the drivetrain config.
The tires on the 2020 Ford Ranger Storm are pretty special, too. The Storm’s Scorpion AT Plus all-terrain rubber was developed especially for the truck in partnership with Pirelli. In development for one full year, the tires were designed to optimize performance on land, mud, water, gravel, stone, and asphalt, with a nice balance between performance and comfort.
The new Storm comes equipped with Ford’s AdvanceTrac system, which offers a host of chassis control features such as electronic stability and traction control, ramp start assist, automatic descent control, tilt oscillation control, emergency braking assistance, and emergency lights in sudden braking. Like the rest of the 2020 Ranger lineup, the Sport also has a suspension that delivers a balance between handling and comfort, both on asphalt and off-road.
In addition, other standard goodies on the new Ford Ranger Storm include electric steering, dual-zone air conditioning, SYNC 3 infotainment system with an 8-inch screen, a configurable instrument panel with two 4.2-inch screens, seven airbags, a reverse camera. Fog lights and black 17-inch alloy wheels round out the features list.
With a starting price of R$150,990, which is just over $27,000 USD, at current conversion rates, the 2020 Ford Ranger Storm should certainly appeal to those who want an adventure-ready pickup at a reasonable price. The model slots between the Ranger XLS and XLT in the Brazilian market.
| Position | Base 1 | Base 2 | Mid-Range | High-End | Range-Topper |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Model | XL | XLS | Storm | XLT | Limited |
“Ranger Storm offers everything that the adventure fan wants and needs: a real off-road truck, with a robust platform, powerful engine, 4×4 traction, personalized look, and an attractive price”, said Ford Ranger brand manager Fabrizzia Borsari, in a statement translated by Ford Authority from Portuguese. The Ranger Storm was “developed specifically for the Brazilian consumer, with a superior level of performance, attributes and functionality, in addition to a striking visual, with a lot of personality,” she added.
If only Ford would sell us something this cool here in the U.S. Here’s to hoping that the 2021 model year will bring us a few new Ranger variants Stateside, including a Wildtrack and this here Storm.
We’ll be here to report on all the latest Ranger variants when they debut, so subscribe to Ford Authority for more Ford Ranger news and around-the-clock Ford news coverage.
Comment
A Ford Ranger Storm would be a cool alternative as a Raptor model, it looks better than any of the new Ford Rangers that I have seen on the roads today. FYI I would position the Ford logo in the “O” of the word Storm to center it better