Ford has denied us the pleasure of having the Ranger Raptor in the U.S. for a very long time. It reached a point where aftermarket companies started offering customization packages for the standard ranger to fill that void. Numerous rumors have surfaced in the past regarding the Ranger Raptor’s debut here in the States, but none of them came true.

Similar news has surfaced again, but this time with some evidence. Our friends at Carexpert.com.au have informed us that the Ranger Raptor is coming to the States and will be powered by a V-6, turbocharged gasoline engine. Is this good news or what!

The 2022 Ranger Will Be Joined With Its Raptor Alter-Ego

According to the outlet’s sources, Ford will launch the next-gen Ranger Raptor in the U.S for the 2022 model year. Power will be sent to all the wheels via a 10-speed automatic transmission. This is the same engine that is rumored to power the upcoming Bronco as well. The Australian and Asian-spec Ranger Raptor will receive a 3.0-liter, V-6 turbocharged diesel engine that makes 255 horses and 443 pound-feet of torque in addition to the engine presently used.

As for the next-gen Ranger, it will also receive a 2.3-liter, turbocharged plug-in hybrid mill paired to an electric motor that will produce a combined output of 362 horses and 502 pound-feet of torque. }

Carexpert also received a screenshot taken from either Ford’s computer or a registration database that specifies the above details. It mentions left-hand-drive and that it will be based on the T6 platform that also underpins the Ranger Raptor in other markets. The outlet also decoded the VIN present in the screenshot and said that the 2.7-liter engine is currently being tested in Australia.

Back in 2018, Ford filed for patent registration for the Ranger Raptor in the U.S. and also lodged an additional registration that makes specific mention of a matching U.S. design registration. The images filed in this patent registration also have a rear-sliding window, similar to the one of the current U.S.-spec Ranger.

What Will The 2022 Ranger Raptor Look Like?

The outlet also rendered an image of the 2022 Raptor. This truck will be heavy on LED lighting, featuring on the Daytime Running Lights as well as taillights. It could also be benefitted from the multi-beam Matrix LED headlights. It was reported earlier that the higher trims of the Ranger will receive a 12.8-inch portrait infotainment screen and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Perhaps, the Raptor would receive the same. This could be similar to the vertically-slated touchscreen running on the SYNC4 system as seen on the new Mach-E. The conventional instrumental cluster could be swapped for a fully digital screen.

Carexpert also said that it will feature something known as a ‘Jump’ mode that “braces the suspension system for a hard impact with the intention of softening the blow for passengers inside the cabin.”

How Are The Current Ranger and Ranger Raptor Spec’d?

Currently, the U.S.-spec Ranger comes with just one engine option - a 2.3-liter, four-cylinder EcoBoost engine that makes 270 horses and 310 pound-feet of torque. This mill is mated to a 10-speed automatic gearbox that sends power to the rear wheels as standard, but you can have it in all-wheel-drive guise as well. The Ranger also comes with a locking rear differential and independent suspensions at the front and rear.

As for the Ranger Raptor, it is powered by a 2.0-liter, four-cylinder diesel engine under the hood that produces 213 ponies and 368 pound-feet of twist. Power is sent to the wheel via the same 10-speed automatic transmission. The Ranger Raptor is a slouch on straight roads as it takes 10.5 seconds to hit the 60 mph mark from a standstill. The figure is far from impressive, showing that the truck’s focus is purely on off-roading.

The Ranger Raptor also comes with a reinforced chassis, an electronic rear-axle lock, Fox racing shocks, an underbody guard, etc. It also wears different bumpers at the front and back when compared to the standard Ranger. This results in better approach and departure angles. The towing and payload capacities, however, are lower than the standard Ranger’s.

Final Thoughts

The news of the Ranger Raptor coming to our shores is super-exciting. Ford could launch it alongside the 2022 Ranger, so we’re roughly looking at 2021 launch for both the models. The Bronco and the Ranger Raptor could share a lot of similarities mechanically. For instance, they both use versions of the T6 platform, are powered by the 2.7-liter, V-6 engine, 10-speed automatic gearbox, etc. The so-called Jump mode on the Ranger Raptor and the GOAT mode on the Bronco could be shared as well. Things are looking quite bright for Ford in the off-roading segment, which is nothing but trouble for Jeep, and FCA in extension.

Do you think the Ranger Raptor will be a runaway success, or is Ford a tad bit late in getting it to the States? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below.