Ford’s attacking the truck segment on all fronts as they’re working on a compact Maverick, an electric F-150 Lightning and a redesigned Ranger. Speaking of the latter, spy photographers have snapped a handful of Ranger prototypes undergoing testing in Michigan. The most notable of the bunch is the prototype that was caught alongside the current Ranger Tremor. The two trucks have a similar appearance, but the camouflaged prototype appears to have more muscular bodywork. The redesigned model also appears slightly longer and the extra room should help to further distance the mid-size truck from the upcoming Maverick.
While the two trucks look similarly
rugged, the prototype is equipped with less extreme 255/65 R18 Goodyear
Wrangler Territory tires. The Tremor, on the other hand, has 265/70 R17 General
Grabber rubber. Interestingly, the truck has ‘sweeper-style’ rear suspension
camouflage that is similar to what the company used on F-150 Raptor prototypes.
There’s no word on what the company is trying to hide, but the Ranger has rear
leaf springs instead of the Raptor’s coils.
As for the other prototypes, they’re less
disguised and this gives us a pretty good look at the front end. As you can
see, the model will follow in the footsteps of the F-150 and feature a
prominent grille that is flanked by vertical headlights as well as LED daytime
running lights. Furthermore, a Super Cab prototype was spotted with a sport bar
that echoes the one found on the Ranger Wildtrak. This seems to suggest the
Wildtrak trim could be added to the U.S. lineup, after the redesigned model is
launched.
Ford has been tight-lipped about the
upcoming pickup, but it’s expected to ride on an upgraded version of the T6
platform like the Bronco. The two models could potentially share engine options
and this means there could be a 2.3-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder with around
270 hp and 420 Nm of torque as well as a
2.7-liter EcoBoost V6 developing 310 hp and 542
Nm of torque. Of course, previous reports have suggested those estimates were
conservative.
Ford is also working on a new Ranger
Raptor that could use either the aforementioned V6 or the Bronco Warthog’s
rumored 3.0-liter EcoBoost V6. The latter is said to produce up to 400 hp and 562 Nm of torque. Regardless of what’s under the
hood, Ford has previously suggested the next-generation Ranger will debut early
next year.