Not available in the United States of America at the present moment, the Ford Ranger Raptor has changed tire suppliers earlier this year. Instead of 285/70 by 17-inch All-Terrain T/A KO2s from BFGoodrich, the mid-size truck with off-road chops now features General Grabber AT3 rubber.
For the next generation of the Ranger in Raptor flavor, the Blue Oval appears to switch back to BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2s for the U.S. market. Take, for instance, the pickups featured in the following video from The Fast Lane.
Truth be told, mules of the all-new Ranger Raptor have been previously spied in the United States testing the same make and model of tire. The only difference over the current generation is the aspect ratio, namely 75 instead of 70 while the width soldier on at 285 millimeters on a 17-inch diameter.
The 34-inch boots are complemented by dark-finish wheels, flared wheel arches, and heavy-duty side steps. Captured on video right next to a pre-production 2021 Ford F-150 Raptor, the Ranger Raptor appears to feature a very similar C-shaped signature lighting of the LED daytime running lights.
Internally known under the codename P703 or Project Redback, the off-road rig also features similar underpinnings to the Bronco. This probably means that U.S. models will continue to be made at Michigan Assembly. Speaking of which, the Wayne-based manufacturing plant will grind to a halt from May 17th through May 28th over the ongoing semiconductor crisis.
Expected with the 10R80 automatic transmission of the U.S.-spec Ranger and current Ranger Raptor, the next generation’s engine may come in the guise of the 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6 of the Bronco or the 3.0-liter EcoBoost V6 of the Explorer ST. Given that Chevrolet is rumored to gift the Colorado ZR2 with the 2.7-liter turbo four-cylinder Tripower of the Silverado 1500, the Ranger Raptor for the U.S. market needs the 2.7-liter engine at the very least.
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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