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Roush Transforms the Ford Ranger into a Rugged Monstrosity

This untamed beast simply begs you for some wild off-road action.
Ford Ranger 11 photos
Photo: Roush
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Let’s be frank, although Ford’s Ranger Raptor tends to outshine the regular model in every possible way, the base Ranger is still a solid pick-up truck in its own right. Sure, it doesn’t pack all the juicy features of its high-performance sibling, but it’ll do the trick.

As of 2020, Blue Oval’s machine is powered by a 2.3-liter EcoBoost engine with automatic start-stop technology. The four-cylinder powerplant will deliver a humble 270 hp at 5,500 rpm and up to 310 pound-feet (420 Nm) of torque output at 3,000 rpm.

A SelectShift ten-speed automatic transmission carries this force to Ranger’s rear 16-inch forged steel wheels, but an optional all-wheel-drive system and larger wheels are also available. Regardless of your pick, every single one of its wheels will come equipped with disc brakes and ABS.

Ford Ranger
Photo: Roush
In terms of suspension, this bad boy rests on an independent setup with gas-charged shock absorbers and coil springs at the front, accompanied by another set of gas-loaded shocks and leaf springs at the rear.

Generally speaking, the interior is painfully average. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying it disappoints, but it certainly doesn’t impress either. There is, however, one cool feature that makes it stand out; a 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot that can be accessed through the FordPass Connect app. This state-of-the-art goodness has a range of up to 50 feet (15.24 meters) and will allow as many as ten devices to connect at once.

All things considered, the Ranger is a decent and relatively affordable pick-up truck, but it can definitely do better. A reputed manufacturer of aftermarket components from Livonia, Michigan seems to be sharing the same opinion. As such, they decided to work their magic on Blue Oval’s mid-sized baby.

The firm in question is none other than Roush Performance, one of Uncle Sam’s go-to places for high-performance Ford modules. Over the years, they developed countless tuning kits and custom bodywork packages for just about anything from the legendary Mustang, to the potent F-150 Raptor.

For the Ranger, Roush offers a plethora of visual upgrades that’ll make it look like one seriously mean pick-up. A custom grille was installed, closely resembling that of a Raptor. It houses a pair of auxiliary LED light bars, as well as the Livonia-based tuner’s nameplate. In fact, the Roush logo can be found all over the place, in the forms of decals and badging.

Ford Ranger
Photo: Roush
Additionally, they got rid of the stock suspension to make room for a Fox 2.0 performance suspension system. The original wheels were also swapped out in favor of 18-inch custom wheels, finished in satin black and hugged by a set of General Grabber ATX all-terrain tires.

A dual-tip cat-back exhaust with stainless-steel tips replaces the standard unit, and I’ll bet it sounds absolutely majestic. On the other hand, I hope you weren’t expecting any extra ponies, as the EcoBoost mill remained completely untouched (I know, I was disappointed too).

To wrap it all up, Roush managed to make Ranger’s interior a lot prettier. You will notice that the seats have been enveloped in quilted leather and a pair of unique aftermarket gauges sit behind the steering wheel. Oh, and of course, more badges!

While this may not exactly be what I’d call a ‘full package’, it still does a great job when it comes to making the Ford Ranger look like it’s been hitting the gym for the past few months. Finally, pricing for these sweet gains starts at $12,750, not including the base vehicle.
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About the author: Silvian Secara
Silvian Secara profile photo

A bit of an artist himself, Silvian sees two- and four-wheeled machines as a form of art, especially restomods and custom rides. Oh, and if you come across a cafe racer article on our website, it’s most likely his doing.
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