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Project Redback: Next Ford Ranger Raptor Could Come To North America

Chevrolet offers the Colorado ZR2, Jeep is working on the Gladiator Hercules, but what about the Ford Motor Company? As it happens, this generation of the Ranger Raptor isn’t coming to North America. But the next one is likely to cross the big blue pond according to Road & Track.
Ford Ranger Raptor 26 photos
Photo: Ford
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The motoring publication found details in this regard on “social media and around the web,” starting with the profile of a “chassis engineer” who is “working on a Ranger Raptor with the P703 codename.” And as the headline implies, this model is intended for North America.

Road & Track highlights that the engineer also worked on the Ranger for North America (codenamed P375N) and the Ranger Raptor for the rest of the world. Other profiles “and sources inside Ford” suggest the next generation of the Ranger Raptor is called “Project Redback” among the engineers.

Now here’s something even more interesting. As it happens, “the chassis design for the next generation Ranger and Bronco is being handled by the same team.” Could a Bronco Raptor be in the cards? We’d certainly love one, packing a bigger punch than the 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6 offers in the Edge ST.

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that Ford hasn’t confirmed nor denied this speculation, as it’s often the case with products so far in the future. On a more positive note, the Bronco with the 2.7 has what it takes to challenge the Jeep Wrangler in terms of suck-squeeze-bang-blow.

Like the Ranger, the Bronco will feature a body-on-frame architecture and the Built Ford Tough promise of the F-Series. Production of the mid-size SUV should start either late this year or in the first half of 2020 at the Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne, Michigan.

Before the Bronco arrives at dealers, Ford will ensure the all-new Explorer and the 2020 F-150 are already on the market. To this effect, hearsay suggests the possibility for the Bronco to land for the 2021 model year.
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About the author: Mircea Panait
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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.
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