There’s much hype about the Ford Ranger Raptor that
will be making its debut next month in Thailand, but it looks like the regular
Ford Ranger will also be given a refresh. These pics, posted by Headlightmag,
were taken by a Thai Ford Ranger Club member in Rayong, where the Ranger is
produced for worldwide consumption.
Compared to the current car with the regular face, the 2018 minor change is a minor one in the looks
department. The most obvious change is on the grille, which thick chrome
borders no longer extend deep into the bumper. The thick central chrome bar
that “holds” the Blue Oval badge has been replaced by two slimmer but longer
bars. The top border of the grille with “Ranger” lettering is also slimmer.
The new grille is less bold, less shiny and more
Everest-like. It’s paired with a reprofiled bumper and headlamps that have
daytime running light (DRL) strips underlining the main beams. This unmasked
mule wears “Limited” badging on the sides and tailgate – this could be a
high-spec trim level above the XLT. There will be FX4 and Wildtrak versions for
those wanting more aggression, for sure.
The upcoming Ford Performance Ranger Raptor is
expected to come with a new “Panther” 2.0 litre EcoBlue twin turbo diesel
engine with 190 hp and 215 hp outputs, paired to a 10-speed automatic
transmission.