It has previously been rumoured that the next-generation Ford Ranger Raptor will offer a choice between diesel and petrol power, depending on the market in question. But now we have it on good authority that the latter option will be one of Ford’s brawniest engines.
Ford Authority says it has learned from inside sources that the petrol-powered Raptor will receive Ford’s 3-litre EcoBoost V6 motor, paired with the company’s 10-speed automatic gearbox. The engine is currently available in some of Ford’s high-end SUVs, including the Explorer, where it produces up to 298 kW in the ST variant. It was previously thought that the Raptor would be offered with Ford’s older 2.7-litre V6 EcoBoost unit.
The move to petrol power comes as a result of the new Ranger Raptor being developed as a more global vehicle, and it will be offered in the United States for the first time alongside its bigger F-150 Raptor sibling.
Next-Gen Ford Ranger Raptor To Feature 3.0L EcoBoost V6: Exclusive https://t.co/2yrIv8hRov pic.twitter.com/H1u1iNF66w
— FordAuthority (@FordAuthority) May 8, 2021
According to CarsGuide, diesel-biased markets such as Australia (and by implication, South Africa too) will receive a 3-litre V6 turbodiesel engine option that should produce in the region of 185 kW and 600 N.m. It is currently not known whether these right-hand drive markets will get the aforementioned petrol engine as an option.
Like the current Ranger Raptor, the new version is being developed with input from Ford’s Australian design team, and the upcoming bakkie will feature a sophisticated suspension system similar to what we see in today’s model, including those all-important Fox shocks.
The 2022 Ford Ranger line-up will once again be built in South Africa for local and export markets as part of a massive R15.8 billion investment that was announced last year. The Silverton plant will, of course, also produce the next-generation Volkswagen Amarok as part of a new commercial vehicle partnership between the two carmakers.
