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Ford Ranger Raptor remains a no-go in the US

Ford has more than one reason to deny us this midsize monster truck.

Andrew Krok Reviews Editor / Cars
Cars are Andrew's jam, as is strawberry. After spending years as a regular ol' car fanatic, he started working his way through the echelons of the automotive industry, starting out as social-media director of a small European-focused garage outside of Chicago. From there, he moved to the editorial side, penning several written features in Total 911 Magazine before becoming a full-time auto writer, first for a local Chicago outlet and then for CNET Cars.
Andrew Krok
2 min read
Ford

The automotive industry is littered with decades' worth of broken husks of hopes and dreams, and now we have one more to throw on the pile.

At an event for the , the automaker confirmed that the US is not slated to receive the Raptor, the hottest version of its midsize pickup. Instead, we'll have to make do with the Raptor, which is still very awesome to be fair, but it's also a pricey proposition with a price tag north of $50,000. noted at the event that there's still more demand than supply for that truck alone.

Ford's reasoning for this move is entirely sensible. We'll start with the powertrain. The Ranger Raptor's sole method of propulsion is a twin-turbocharged 2.0-liter diesel I4. Diesel's reputation in the US is all but ruined, and Ford would likely have to move mountains to get that engine approved for use in the US. Ford has also said in the past that it's unlikely that the Ranger Raptor will wield any other engine, like a gas V6.

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Man, this thing is gnarly.

Ford

There's also the underlying reason for the Ranger Raptor's existence in the first place. Not every market is privy to the F-150, so Ford created the Ranger Raptor to give those markets, which happen to be diesel-heavy already, a Raptor to call their own.

But what about the Chevrolet Colorado ZR2? Would Ford be so foolish as to pass over the chance to steal some buyers away from its mortal enemy? Roadshow's own Jake Holmes asked Hermann Salenbauch, Ford Performance's vehicle line director, about the ZR2 at the Ford event. Salenbauch said that they "know it quite well," but don't intend to compete with it. So it goes.

Of course, plans are subject to change, and there's a possibility (however slight) that Ford could change its mind and bring the Ranger Raptor to the US after all. But for now, it's wise to avoid hooking your horse to that cart, unless you like sitting around for a very long time.

Ford's Ranger Raptor plays with our hearts in the dunes

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