Ford unveiled the Ranger Raptor earlier this year and by the looks of it, the Dearborn automaker is already ready to take the performance truck to the next level. Come tomorrow, November 1, a racing version will break cover during the Melbourne Cup Day, Australia's horse racing event held annually on the first Tuesday of November. To generate buzz around the premiere, a short teaser video has been published on various social media channels.
It’s too soon to say what the Blue Oval has been working on, but the extra lights suggest it's a rally-ready version for events such as the Baja 1000. All we can do is speculate at this point, but we won't be too surprised if it’s a Ranger Raptor R or something similar. The speedy truck already comes from the factory with a dedicated Baja driving mode, meaning it was conceived from the get-go 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 are likely to receive the uncorked version with the full 392 hp and 583 Nm (430 lb-ft) of torque. Over in Europe, the truck has only 288 hp and 491 Nm (362 lb-ft) from its twin-turbo V6 EcoBoost engine due to far more stringent emissions regulations.
With the new Ranger Raptor, Ford is doing things differently by switching from a twin-turbodiesel four-cylinder to a V6 gas engine. In select markets, there's also a V6 diesel for the non-Raptor version while Volkswagen will be selling its own truck as the second-generation Amarok. As before, the Ranger has served as the foundation for a body-on-frame Everest SUV, but a spicy Raptor derivative is not planned for the time being.
