Ford recently debuted the 2019 Ranger at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit and representatives at the show were more than happy to discuss Ford’s latest pickup offering with automotive publications. But when questioned about an off-road oriented Raptor, they wouldn’t admit to its existence.

We suppose that’s fine for now because two MotorTrend readers spotted what could be a Ranger Raptor on I-44 between Tulsa and Oklahoma City. Sitting on a flatbed heading west, the prototype was easily spotted thanks to its very noticeable camouflage.

What gave it away as a Raptor was its grille, which looks similar to what you’d find on the Ranger, but in the center of it are large letters spelling out “Ford” and you can find the same badge on the F-150 Raptor. Another indicator of it being a Ranger Raptor were the dirt covered all-terrain tires with flared fenders.

Though the prototype is being tested in the U.S., MotorTrend thinks it could be the Australian spec model that’s slated to debut on February 7 in Thailand. Perhaps with the return of the standard Ranger, North Americans will also receive an off-road-focused variant. Maybe powered by the rumored 3.2-liter turbodiesel I-5 unit that’s headed for Australia.

Hopefully, Ford will make an official announcement for U.S. availability after the Ranger Raptor debuts next month.

Looks like the Raptor is being thoroughly tested and there's a nice front skid plate too. Not sure if that has been damaged during testing or if it's supposed to stick out that much.

If the following rendering represents the production model correctly then you might have a point unless the way they're covering up makes it look damaged. Being one of the most distinctive parts about a Raptor models they had to cover it up.

Too bad the test mule doesn't hint at a higher performance engine instead of what's already out there. There's only so much people are willing to pay for something that's not almost comparable to the F-150 Raptor in power and torque output.

In a way we don't need them to hint at it at all because already we seen what Ford can do when they get serious about a product in a competitive segment. Vehicles like the Focus, Fiesta, Edge and F150 are some of the best around, let alone the special trims they have which are equally as impressive.

It was spotted again and this time without any camouflage in Michigan! It's shown as a right hand drive car, so it may not be the U.S. spec model and just the global one so some things may be changed for its North America release. Let's hope it get something better than the 2.0-liter turbocharged diesel engine.
https://www.autoblog.com/2018/04/10/...py-photos-usa/

https://www.motor1.com/news/239016/f...aught-testing/

Raptor spied again and now alongside the Wildtrak.