Raptor Ranger might not arrive in Canada
Ford unveiled a Raptor version of its 2019 Ranger earlier this month, a miniaturized but competent diesel off-roader that’s set to launch in Southeast Asia but may or may not be coming to North America.
The truck revealed in Thailand was powered by a 2.0-litre twin-turbo diesel in-line four, good for 210 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque routed through a 10-speed automatic transmission. Its off-road credentials come from a set of Fox Racing Shox dampers, 17-inch wheels wrapped in knobby BF Goodrich tires, and all the off-road modes its big brother gets.
To match the grunt, Ford has dressed up the Raptor Ranger’s looks, with wider tracks front and rear and flared fenders to cover the otherwise too-far-out tires. It also has a Raptor-style “FORD” block-letter grille and steel bumpers with tow hooks front and rear, plus a skid plate under the front.
“Ground clearance is increased to 283 mm (11.14 inches), while the approach angle of 32.5 degrees, ramp-over angle of 24 degrees, and departure angle of 24 degrees as a package are superior to anything seen before,” Ford said.
If those specs don’t appear all that exciting to you, Ford specifically confirmed the Raptor Ranger was designed to “travel at high speeds off road.”
However, the automaker also confirmed all of the above applies specifically to an Asian-Pacific-market truck. When pressed on a North American version of the pickup, a Ford spokesperson tweeted they’ll “have more to share about Ranger Raptor at a later date.”