Europe, the Ford Ranger Raptor cometh. The Blue Oval used the Gamescom video game conference in Cologne, Germany, on Tuesday to reveal that the 2019 Ranger Raptor will go on sale across the continent in 2019. The Blue Oval also released the cool video above with the announcement.
And with Europe’s confirmation, is the United States next?
We’ve spied numerous examples of Ranger Raptor prototypes running about near Ford’s Dearborn, Michigan, headquarters but the automaker has yet to officially confirm the pickup for the U.S. market. Let’s not kid ourselves, though, it’s a no-brainer, especially with Chevrolet scooping up the mid-size off-road truck market with the Colorado ZR2. A patent design also seemed to leak the U.S.-spec truck’s design last week.
The patent images depicted sport bars in the truck’s bed and a sliding rear window; neither are offered on the global Ranger Raptor.
2019 Ford Ranger Raptor
In Europe, the Ranger Raptor will arrive with a 2.0-liter twin-turbocharged diesel inline-4 engine making 210 horsepower and 393 pound-feet of torque. In the U.S., it’s highly unlikely we’ll see a diesel engine. Instead, Ford Performance chief vehicle engineer Jamal Hameedi hinted the truck would more than likely sport a gasoline engine. One option is the 2.7-liter twin-turbocharged V-6. The engine makes 335 hp and 380 lb-ft in the 2019 Ford Edge ST. The 10-speed automatic transmission is used in Europe and is also likely for the States.
It is certain, however, that the U.S. Ranger Raptor will get plenty of suspension goodies. The European version of the off-road pickup boasts a Watts Link rear suspension, long-travel Fox shocks, and grabby BFGoodrich all-terrain tires on 17-inch wheels. It also features a Terrain Management system with Normal, Sport, Grass/Gravel/Snow, Mud/Sand, Rock, and Baja modes.
If, for some strange reason, the Ranger Raptor remains forbidden fruit in the U.S. (again, highly unlikely), Ford also announced at the Gamescom video game showcase that the pickup will be included in “Forza Horizon 4,” the latest installment in the arcade racing franchise for the Xbox One.
