A mid-size pickup truck roaming about the Australian outback. That’s nothing strange if you refer to the humble utility vehicle as ute, but the 2019 Ford Ranger prototype in this teaser video is no humble workhorse. In fact, it’s the long-rumored and highly-anticipated Ranger Raptor, packing a familiar EcoBoost V6.
The 1-minute clip with plenty of off-road action doesn’t explicitly reveal what makes the 2019 Ford Ranger Raptor tick, but the sound is unmistakable. Search on YouTube for any video of the F-150 with the 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6, and you’ll notice the induction and exhaust sounds are easily recognizable. For reference, there are two soundcheck videos at the end of the story.
Paired to the 10-speed automatic transmission co-developed with General Motors, the 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6 develops as many as 335 horsepower in the Lincoln MKX and Continental, and as many as 400 pound-feet of torque in the Ford F-150. But then, you notice the Ford Performance logo at the end of the teaser, opening up the possibility of even more grunt for the six-cylinder mill.
From a visual standpoint, the pre-production prototype features chunky off-road tires wrapped around 6-lug wheels, the spacious double cab configuration, flared wheel arches front and rear, what appears to be Ford lettering in capital letters on the grille, as well as specific off-road suspension setup. From the screenshot depicting the interior, it’s obvious there are two gear-shift paddles mounted onto the steering wheel, not the steering column.
The promise Ford makes about the 2019 Ranger Raptor, which is confirmed to arrive in 2018? “Your off-roading dreams are about to come true,” is how the cookie crumbles, with the addition that this bad boy “will be the ultimate performance off-road truck.” And yes, the U.S. market will get the baby Raptor as the proverbial middle-finger salute to the Chevy Colorado ZR2.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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