Ford
Ford revealed the beautiful 2019 Ranger Raptor on Wednesday, but before you get too excited, you should know that it might not be available in the U.S. in the future or even ever. Ford Motor Company unveiled the all-new off-road performance version of the 2019 Ranger at a press conference in Thailand.
Last month, Ford debuted the regular North American version of the 2019 Ranger at the 2018 Detroit Auto Show. Ford revived the midsized pickup after the last American-made Ranger rolled off the assembly line back on December 22, 2011, but they continued to manufacture Rangers overseas. The 2019 Ford Ranger Raptor will launch in the Asia Pacific market. The Ranger Raptor will be offered before the regular Ranger will be available in the U.S. which is expected sometime in early 2019.
Ford did not say if the Ranger Raptor would be sold in the United States, which is a shame since this incredible truck looks amazing. “We’ll have more to share about Ranger Raptor at a later date,” Ford spokesman Mike Levine said. Does that mean there’s a chance that there will be a 2019 Ranger Raptor for North America? Let’s hope so because this is a sweet-looking truck.
“The Ford Performance team is excited to extend the Raptor name from our flagship off-road performance F-150 to Ranger,” Jamal Hameedi, chief engineer of Ford Performance, said in a statement. “Just like the F-150 Raptor, the Ranger Raptor builds upon the core capability of the range of vehicles it comes from and carries the unmistakable Ford Performance DNA appearance.”
The Ranger Raptor will be built in Thailand and will offer increased performance. The 2019 Ranger Raptor features an all-new twin-turbocharged 2.0-liter diesel engine that pumps out 210-horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque. The Raptor also has a new 10-speed transmission and six driving modes so you can conquer any intimidating terrain. For your off-roading pleasure, you’ll get Fox Racing Shox dampers, dent-resistant composite fenders, an integrated tow bar with tow hooks, and BF Goodrich All-Terrain tires. In the cabin, the seats offer “high-speed performance support.” Outside, the Raptor is taller, wider, and longer than the base model.
“The standout experience of the Ranger Raptor, hands down, is how far you can push it off-road versus any other available production road vehicle in our markets, and still ride like a millionaire on-road,” Damien Ross, chief program engineer of the Ranger Raptor, said in a statement. Let’s hope Ford brings this baby Raptor to the United States.
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[Jalopnik]