From the Land Down Under, there is some exciting news brewing about the Ford Ranger Raptor. According to a report by carsguide.com.au, the Blue Oval brand is indeed working on the Ranger Raptor R, a V8-powered version of the said model.
The currently available Ford Ranger Raptor
Now, the Ford executives who supposedly leaked the information from didn’t exactly confirm this directly, but neither did they deny it. Trevor Worthington, Ford’s Vice President of Global Product Development even mentioned that this V8 Raptor could be similar to how the Ford Bronco DR relates to the regular Bronco. Specifically, the Bronco DR very much shares the same underpinnings as the standard Bronco. That said, the Raptor R could fit as a similar trim equivalent for the all-new 2022 Ford Ranger.
For those unaware, the Bronco DR is a souped-up, Coyote 5.0-liter V8-powered, 400 horsepower variant of the current sixth-generation Bronco which was released just last year. It is a limited-edition version, which has been described as a “Baja-1000 capable vehicle from the factory.”
Of note, the V8-powered Raptor rumor mill has been going on since 2020. Ford’s Australian arm is also known to be working closely with several Australian tuning companies in creating some interesting versions of the Ranger and the Ranger Raptor. As such, it wouldn't be too much of a stretch to say that these companies might also be involved in developing the Ranger Raptor R.
Like we’ve said in our previous report about a V8-powered Ranger Raptor though, the chances of the Ranger Raptor R reaching the local market might be slim at best. There’s also the fact that Ford has yet to confirm if they are indeed developing it.
The Ranger Raptor R might take cues as to how the Bronco DR is related to the regular Bronco
Moreover, the Philippines doesn’t have the sprawling desert landscape that Australia has. And if we take stock of what Ford Australia has said regarding what the Ranger Raptor R could be, the model is intended as a full-on “desert racer”.
Also, the Coyote 5.0-liter V8 is a gasoline engine. While it could conceivably be much more exciting than your more common inline-4 turbodiesels, even the most adamant Ranger Raptor fan will have qualms about the costs of keeping a V8-powered one fueled-up.
Then again, who knows what will happen? Ford Thailand might end up taking in this beastly V8 Raptor, and only then will the Philippine market end up getting this thing. But at this point, the chances of that happening is anybody’s guess.
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