Ford Bronco Raptor Could Complete Off-Road Trio
Ford execs drop some not-so-subtle hints surrounding the possibility of a hardcore off-road Bronco!
We’ve been so enthralled with the Ranger Raptor and its potential for landing in America that we nearly forgot about the next great Blue Oval comeback – the 2020 Ford Bronco. It’s clear that Ford is focused on building more off-road capable vehicles, both here in the states and abroad. Because, well, that’s what customers want right now. So it only makes sense that they complete this magnificent trio and build a Bronco Raptor in addition to the F-150 and Ranger offerings, right?
You can call it speculation, but the possibility of a Bronco Raptor does in fact have some sort of wings. The revelation comes from Ford Performance Head Engineer Jamal Hameedi, who spoke with Austrailia’s Drive recently. Hameedi didn’t come out and say that Ford would build a Bronco Raptor, but he came pretty close.
“There’s no reason [we wouldn’t do an Everest Raptor],” he said. “The first F-150 Raptor was way beyond our wildest dreams in terms of success, and that success spawned a Ranger Raptor. So to do an SUV is a little more difficult because you have to figure out how to deal with the rear suspension. In the form of a bodyside outer it’s not just a box outer [and that] poses a unique challenge in how you package that.”
As you already know, the Everest uses the same platform as the Ranger, albeit with a shorter wheelbase. Which is why many have speculated that the new Bronco will share some mechanicals with the Everest.
Ford Australia product communications manager Damion Smy stoked the fires even more in a separate conversation with Drive. “Long term it would make sense if you look at the fact that passenger vehicles were overtaken by SUVs this [2017] year. There’s definitely a case for more performance oriented or at least more sports styled SUVs in the future.”
It all makes too much sense not to happen, really. And yet, this is still just a case of playing connect the dots. But for now, we can at least hope and dream that a hardcore Bronco Raptor is in our future!
