Ford Ranger Raptor Should Have Gas Power in U.S., Ford Boss Says

The smaller Raptor is diesel-powered in Asia but may run on gas if it comes to the U.S.

byJustin Hughes|
Ford News photo
Share

0

Americans are already excited about the return of the Ford Ranger. One more reason to get excited about it is the Ranger Raptor, which will be released first in Asia. Ford's Global Performance Vehicle Chief Engineer, Jamal Hameedi, told Drive (not us) that if a version of the Ranger Raptor comes to the U.S., it will likely be powered by a gas engine, not diesel.

"Raptors are a slam dunk for the U.S.," Hameedi told Drive. "I think it [the Ranger Raptor] would do really well in the States."

But due to a certain diesel emissions cheating scandal, diesel engines have lost favor in passenger cars and light trucks in the U.S. However, the Chevy Colorado ZR2, which would be the closest competitor to the Ranger Raptor, does offer a diesel version.

"It’s the suspension. It is so incredible [with] the Watt’s link," Hameedi said. "It really is the best-handling pickup truck I’ve driven and not by an insignificant margin. I think it would go pretty well in America."

We asked Ford about the possibility of a Ranger Raptor in the U.S., but Matt Leaver of Ford Performance Communications had no comment on a Ranger Raptor for the U.S. at this time. 

"We'll have more to share about Ranger Raptor at a later date," he said. Indeed, we're still waiting for the standard Ranger to make its re-appearance here. Ford will likely want to focus on that before possibly introducing a Raptor version here later on.

stripe
Ford NewsNews by BrandTrucks