SPY PICS: Ranger Raptor – US bound?

Not only has Ford’s Ranger workhorse recently topped the Australian sales charts; its future expansion into global markets seems assured. The next-generation model, due to make its first appearance at the Bangkok motor show early next year, is en route to the United States where it is expected to sell alongside the larger F150 series ute in 2019.

The next-generation of the locally-developed Thai-built Ranger will include the eagerly anticipated Raptor version that Ford execs have flagged as a definite starter in the Asia-Pacific region for 2018 and could also be expected to join the US market as a smaller cousin to the mighty F150 Raptor – for which a 2018 model year update is imminent.

Engines for the US Ranger are expected to number four and six cylinders, including Ford’s direct-injection twin-turbo petrol EcoBoost V6, as well as a diesel.

Exactly what form the local Ranger Raptor will take is not yet clear, although Ford has promised it will deliver an “adrenaline-pumping” experience and will look the part as well. So expect a full array of desert racing-inspired gear comprising flared wheel arches, bash plates and, possibly, a five-link coil spring rear suspension taking its cues from the Ford Everest SUV.

Powerplant speculation is rampant, including suggestions the local Ranger Raptor could drop a twin-turbo 3.5-litre petrol V6 into the engine bay to give our monster ute the muscle to match its image and satisfy customer expectations.

The Australian Ranger Raptor will join a comprehensive Ford Performance lineup that already includes the likes of Ford GT, Ford Mustang Shelby, Focus RS and Focus ST.