Ford has made it official – the Bronco Raptor is coming. It hasn’t been a well-kept secret as our spy photographers captured a more rugged Bronco out testing on several occasions. Even though the test vehicles wore thick black cladding, Ford couldn’t hide the wider fenders or raised ride height, and today we get our first official look at the brawny off-roader.
Ford CEO Jim Farley posted a short video to his Twitter account teasing the Bronco Raptor, but it doesn’t tease much. The video does provide us with our first peek at the Bronco’s new grille, which borrows the bold FORD branding found on the F-150 Raptor. The grille also has three running lights, indicating it’ll have a wide stance. The Bronco Raptor will also sport a similar-looking “Raptor” badge, which is revealed at the end of the teaser along with the SUV’s 2022 release date.
We still don’t have any indication of what will power the Bronco Raptor when it arrives. However, rumors abound, and the latest point to two possible powertrains – Ford’s twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 engine or its 3.5-liter twin-turbo one. The smaller engine powers the Explorer ST, producing 400 horsepower 298 kilowatts). The bigger V6 powers the F-150 Raptor, where it produces 450 hp (335 kW). Ford will pair the SUV’s extra power with more off-road capability, which looks to include a wider stance, a raised suspension, beefy tires, and skid plates.
The teaser video says the Bronco Raptor will have a 2022 release, though that’s a bit vague. Ford could reveal it next year with plans for it to go on sale before the end of 2023, which would be exciting. However, the Bronco continues to face production hiccups, which is resulting in a backlog of orders. With the first teaser out, we expect Ford to continue hyping the Bronco Raptor right up to its official reveal, and we hope to learn more about it along the way.
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