Ford Introduces the Ranger Raptor, but Is It Coming to America?
Last month Ford officially debuted the 2019 Ranger for the North American market, finally bringing the globally-sold midsize pickup to the US. And while pickup fans will no doubt welcome the Ranger into the midsize market, the version of the truck that many enthusiasts are most excited about is the Ranger Raptor, which was just unveiled... in Thailand.
Taking the formula that’s made the F150 Raptor such a hit, the off-road performance version of the Ranger brings much of the same appeal in a smaller and more affordable package that should bring increased agility when compared to its full-size counterpart.
On paper, the Ranger Raptor sounds quite capable, with increased ride height, Fox Racing shocks and a chassis honed for extreme terrain with improved departure and approach angles. It also gets a 10-speed automatic transmission with multiple terrain modes, including rock mode and a Baja mode for high speed running.
While the American market Ranger will get Ford’s 2.3L EcoBoost gasoline engine, the overseas version is powered by a 2.0L turbo diesel engine. And that brings us to the asterisk that comes with this story. We still don’t know if the Ranger Raptor will make it to the U.S.
However, given Ford’s recent efforts in bringing in global performance models to the American market, and the popularity of the full size Raptor here, it sounds like a very logical move. It would compete perfectly against the Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro and Chevy Colorado XR2. So if anyone from Ford happens to be reading this, go ahead and bring the “baby Raptor” to the states!
