November 2021. Specifically, November 24, 2021. That’s when the current-generation Ford Ranger debuted for the world, and by that we mean the world outside of North America. At the time, a Ford spokesperson told us that details on a debut for the States would come later. We didn’t think it would be two and a half years, but the wait is nearly over. Save the date for May 10.
Ford announced the debut date in a short teaser video, featuring glimpses of the truck along with a V6 soundtrack and a shadowed Ranger zipping through the desert. Yes, the hardcore Raptor off-road version will debut at the same time, which is a bit of a bonus since global markets had to wait three months between Ranger reveals. And if you recall that original Ranger Raptor debut, Ford CEO Jim Farley told us the American Ranger would arrive in 2023, so the long wait wasn’t entirely unexpected.
In fact, since the global model hit the scene, we’ve seen a plethora of special editions including the Ranger Wildtrak, Wildtrak X, Tremor, and the aforementioned Raptor. We’ve also seen the one-off Very Gay Ranger Raptor, and a new Ranger-based Ford Everest has arrived. Much has certainly happened in the Ranger world while we’ve soldiered on with the T6 generation, which arrived in the US for the 2019 model year but actually dates back to 2011. So yeah, it’s time for something new.
What can we expect from Ford on the North American Ranger? Based on the numerous spy photos we’ve seen, styling mirrors the global version with differences relegated to features such as body trim, grilles, and fascias. The current lineup of XL, XLT, and Lariat models should continue, and of course, we know the Ranger Raptor is in there, too.
Power-wise, we’d be surprised if Ford offers a diesel engine option in this neck of the woods. The only mill offered in the current US-spec Ranger is the turbocharged 2.3-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder, though the Raptor should have the same 3.0-liter EcoBoost V6 available elsewhere.
Stay close to Motor1.com, as we’ll have full coverage of this long-awaited pickup truck on May 10.
