Photo: Ford of Romania
The Ranger may have returned to the United States thanks to a modified T6 platform and the 2.3-liter EcoBoost turbo four-cylinder engine, but the Raptor still isn’t available in that part of the world. On the upside, Project Redback could turn things around for the better for the next-generation pickup truck.
WhichCar.com.au reports that the T6 Raptor won’t go out without a bang, though. “Farmed out to an external engineering firm,” the Ranger Raptor with the Coyote V8 engine is reportedly an Australia-exclusive project that may come to fruition in late 2020. The thing is Ford hasn’t confirmed anything at all.
Speaking to the Australian motoring publication, head of communications Matt Moran stated that the Blue Oval doesn’t talk about future plans and products. On the other hand, “we’re thrilled by the passion and how much people love this great truck, designed and engineered right here in Australia,” he said.
January is always riddled with slow news and, therefore, speculation. But here’s a question for you. If the Ford Motor Company does plan a limited run of Raptors with the V8 from the Mustang GT, doesn’t that mean the engineers have to work their magic on the chassis as well? Does Ford of Australia have the know-how to modify the T6 platform to the tune of an eight-cylinder engine?
Packing port and direct injection, the Coyote develops more suck-squeeze-bang-blow than the 6.2-liter engine that General Motors utilized in the Holden Commodore SS. 460 horsepower and 420 pound-feet of torque makes the 5.0-liter engine more powerful and torquier than the EcoBlue twin-turbo diesel with 2.0 liters of displacement that comes standard in the Ranger Raptor.
We’ve tested the EcoBlue in a Euro-spec model out on a Red Bull Romaniacs hard enduro rally course, and even on that type of terrain, the mid-sized truck with the off-road chops didn’t break a sweat. The Ranger Raptor has also been proven in the desert with this powerplant, but on the other hand, do remember that diesel isn’t exactly popular in markets such as the United States of America.
It’s possible that the higher-ups in Dearborn, Michigan gave the Australian office the green light for the Ranger Raptor V8 in case they’ll decide to pull a similar trick in North America for the next generation of the workhorse. The 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6 in the all-new Bronco would be a suitable engine as well, rated at 335 horsepower and 380 pound-feet of torque in the Edge ST crossover.
Speaking to the Australian motoring publication, head of communications Matt Moran stated that the Blue Oval doesn’t talk about future plans and products. On the other hand, “we’re thrilled by the passion and how much people love this great truck, designed and engineered right here in Australia,” he said.
January is always riddled with slow news and, therefore, speculation. But here’s a question for you. If the Ford Motor Company does plan a limited run of Raptors with the V8 from the Mustang GT, doesn’t that mean the engineers have to work their magic on the chassis as well? Does Ford of Australia have the know-how to modify the T6 platform to the tune of an eight-cylinder engine?
Packing port and direct injection, the Coyote develops more suck-squeeze-bang-blow than the 6.2-liter engine that General Motors utilized in the Holden Commodore SS. 460 horsepower and 420 pound-feet of torque makes the 5.0-liter engine more powerful and torquier than the EcoBlue twin-turbo diesel with 2.0 liters of displacement that comes standard in the Ranger Raptor.
We’ve tested the EcoBlue in a Euro-spec model out on a Red Bull Romaniacs hard enduro rally course, and even on that type of terrain, the mid-sized truck with the off-road chops didn’t break a sweat. The Ranger Raptor has also been proven in the desert with this powerplant, but on the other hand, do remember that diesel isn’t exactly popular in markets such as the United States of America.
It’s possible that the higher-ups in Dearborn, Michigan gave the Australian office the green light for the Ranger Raptor V8 in case they’ll decide to pull a similar trick in North America for the next generation of the workhorse. The 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6 in the all-new Bronco would be a suitable engine as well, rated at 335 horsepower and 380 pound-feet of torque in the Edge ST crossover.
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