The all-new next-generation Ford Ranger Raptor was just revealed a few weeks ago, ushering in a brand new era for the high-performance off-road pickup that will finally be sold in the U.S. with an MSRP of $52,500 after its predecessor was not. The next-gen Ranger and Ranger Raptor will launch in Australia long before that, however, albeit in limited quantities. And while the new Ford Ranger Raptor will continue to represent the mid-size pickup’s ultimate off-road variant, it may also be offered with a street performance tire option, according to Drive.
When asked if Ford might offer a street performance tire on the Ford Ranger Raptor as an alternative to the truck’s standard BFGoodrich K02 rubber, Ali Jammoul, global vehicle program director of Ford Performance, said “I love that feedback, because I’ve not thought about it to be honest with you. And so I love what you’re saying. Are we going to look at it? For sure. This will optimize the vehicle (and the) customer experience on-road. We know a lot of our customers love the comfort of Fox suspension in daily driving, (so) a road tire might be the next step in that. We need to take a look at it (for Ranger Raptor).”
Even more interestingly, Jammoul also seemed quite receptive to the possibility of a Ford Ranger Raptor RS, when it was presented to him. “I love that idea. We’ll go back and we’ll look at it, for sure. (Such a vehicle with road tires) does really complement the DNA and the brand that we set up for Raptor.”
In spite of Jammoul’s enthusiasm around this particular topic, Ford Performance chief engineer Carl Widmann threw a little cold water on the idea by acknowledging that a road tire package “could also be of interest to German customers,” but also pointed out that it would add complexity to production lines and require a significant investment to develop a road tire suitable for the Ranger Raptor. Since no such thing currently exists, it could take upwards of 2-3 years to make one, in fact.
Regardless, the idea is certainly enticing, especially since the next-gen Ranger Raptor figures to offer plenty of performance via its 3.0L EcoBoost V6 powerplant, which will crank out 392 horsepower and 430 pound-feet of torque. Then there’s the matter of whether or not a road tire package would be only offered in Australia or if it would also make it to other parts of the world. Either way, it’s certainly an idea worth looking into, much like the possibility of cramming a V8 in the high-performance off-roader.
Source: Ford Authority
