The fact that GM’s Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon midsize trucks will soon have a rival from the 2019 Ford Ranger is pretty much common knowledge at this point. What wasn’t common knowledge, however, is whether The Blue Oval will also bring its new Ranger Raptor to take on the Colorado ZR2, until now.
A set of brand new spy pictures acquired by our sister Ford news site, Ford Authority, show the 2019 Ford Ranger Raptor undergoing testing in Metro Detroit in left-hand-drive. In all prior sightings of the new Ranger Raptor, the truck was testing in the right-hand-drive configuration. Seeing it in LHD serves as a sort of unofficial confirmation that The Blue Oval is planning on bringing the Ranger Raptor Stateside, in which case it will take on the Chevy Colorado ZR2, along with the Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro.
- Hit the following link to see the new Ford Ranger Raptor photos in left hand drive.
The 2019 Ranger Raptor is widely expected to be offered with Ford’s 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6 gasoline engine making around 300 horses and 400 pound-feet of torque mated to the 10-speed automatic transmission it developed in collaboration with GM, but that’s not all: Ford Authority reports that the new Ranger Raptor debuted an all-new inline-four cylinder 2.0L turbo diesel engine featuring not one, but two turbos. Mated to the same 10-speed automatic transmission, the mill is rated at 211 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque, which is would be a direct rival to the 2.8L Duramax Diesel LWN four-banger in the Colorado, which is rated at 186 horses and 369 pound-feet of torque.
So while Ford has not (yet) officially announced the Ranger Raptor for the U.S. market, it’s looking more and more like a formality at this point, and that the Colorado ZR2 will soon see a real competitor from GM’s cross-town frenemy.
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Comments
No DSSVs so…meh.
I do expect a PHEV version since the new Lincoln Navigator does have that power train. Chevy will lose the PHEV truck market if they don’t put the Volt power train into the Colorado soon!
what phev truck market?
Yeah. Without DSSV this thing basically ZR2 food.
Well I would not underestimate the truck as Ford will have it right.
The real questions will be what HP will it get with gas here and what will the price be.
DSSV is good but if Ford sticks with Fox it is not bad either.
Appearance wise, TRD! As I said before, desert truck. Not rock crawler or else it wouldn’t have side steps.
It should do moderately!
Reading the comments above had me laughing a bit. Shocks are what y’all focus on? Ford dealers up-charge the heck out of F-150 Raptors. Take note of how many of those you see every day! Sales on a Raptor version anything Ford does should double what competitors offer as similar trucks. I understand most folks are brand loyal, as am I. But, if you just talk sales figures, I would put tons of $ on the Raptor. All this doesn’t mean squat until the truck is a reality! Personally I wish Ford would come way out of left field with the Ranger and bring back a Lightning!! The 2.7 with a few extra HP in a 2WD would haul the groceries.
You know they’ve been making LHD Rangers in Thailand for years.
Yes to regular Rangers in LHD, but not Ranger Raptors in LHD.