Ford launched the Ranger Raptor earlier this year and from the looks of it, the Dearborn automaker is ready to take the performance truck to the next level. Coming tomorrow, November 1st, the racing version will open its doors during Melbourne Cup Day, an Australian horse racing event held annually on the first Tuesday of November. To generate buzz around the premiere, short teaser videos have been published on various social media channels.
It’s too early to tell what the Blue Oval is working on, but additional lights suggest it’s a rally-ready version for events like the Baja 1000. All we can do is speculate at this point, but we wouldn’t be too surprised if it was the Ranger Raptor. R or something similar. The speedy truck already comes from the factory with a special Baja driving mode, which means it was designed from the start to take a beating.
Unlike the previous-generation Ranger Raptor, the new one is coming to North America where it has been confirmed to go on sale in 2023. The United States and Canada will likely receive a capless version with a full 392 hp and 583 Nm (430 hp). lb-ft) of torque. In Europe, the truck only makes 288 hp and 491 Nm (362 lb-ft) from the twin-turbo V6 EcoBoost engine due to much stricter emission regulations.
With the new Ranger Raptor, Ford is doing something different by switching from a twin-turbodiesel four-cylinder engine to a V6 gas engine. In certain markets, there is also a V6 diesel for non-Raptor versions while Volkswagen will sell its own truck as the second-generation Amarok. As before, the Ranger has been the foundation of the body-on-frame Everest SUV, but the spicy Raptor derivative isn’t planned for now.
