Not content with having the F-150 Raptor at the top of the off-road pickup truck segment, the Ford Motor Company will soon take the veils off the smaller brother of the full-size behemoth. Enter the Ranger Raptor, which according to the newest teaser, is preparing for the big reveal in February.
Mark your calendars for February 7th, for that’s when the baddest Ranger of them all is expected to go official in Thailand. Following the preview event, the world premiere for the newest member of the Ford Raptor family is reportedly slated for the Bangkok Motor Show in March 2018.
What’s certain is the “available in 2018” promise, which means the first retail examples will be delivered before year’s end in places such as Thailand and Australia. For the U.S.-spec Ranger Raptor, well, Ford is keeping its lips shut on the subject, not giving even the slightest of clues.
If Ford brings the mid-size Raptor to North America, chances are the pairing of choice is EcoBoost power and 10-speed automatic. For the Asia Pacific region and Europe, most reports argue in favor of a twin-turbo setup for the EcoBlue 2.0-liter diesel, matched to the 10-speed transmission developed by the Ford Motor Company and General Motors.
The most direct rival for the off-road truck is the Chevrolet Colorado ZR2, which offers two engine choices. In addition to the 308-horsepower 3.6-liter V6, the headliner of the Colorado range can be specified with the 2.8-liter Duramax inline-four turbo diesel, which has 181 ponies to its name.
Will Ford bring the Ranger Raptor to the United States? Bearing in mind test mules and pre-production vehicles have been spotted in the Anza-Borrego region of the Colorado Desert, it’s safe to assume the bet is on.
Both the standard Ranger and the Raptor in U.S. specification will be manufactured in Wayne, Michigan. The facility will add another product to the assembly line for the 2020 MY in the form of the Bronco.
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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