Due to the high-riding nature of modern double-cab utes, brands and owners alike have ventured into the off-road sphere with modifications, but what about a more tarmac-friendly version?
That's exactly what Ford has done with the help of design specialists MS-RT over in England, and created a Ranger Raptor that would feel more at home on a track over an off-road trail.
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Just like the baja-inspired Raptor, power comes from the 2.0-litre biturbo diesel engine, which makes 157kW and 500Nm. Despite this remaining the same, the same can't be said for the rest of the ute.
At the front, the Ranger MS-RT wears a carbon fibre-look honeycomb grille, and an aggressive new bumper. The wheel arches have been slightly widened at the front and rear to accommodate the 20-inch OZ Racing wheels.
On the inside, the cabin is covered with premium leather and features contrast orange stitching. Ambient lighting and heated front seats are also included, as well as Ford's SYNC3 infotainment system on the eight-inch display.
Interestingly, this new Ranger is based on the Wildtrak instead of the Raptor, meaning that it still uses leaf spring suspension in the rear, instead of coils. While this does limit track performance, it means that the ute retains a 3.5-tonne towing capacity.
“Ranger MS-RT is designed for customers who value Ranger’s hard-working capability but want the racing pedigree and hand-finished exclusivity of our MS-RT series”, said Brendan Lyne, director, Commercial Vehicles, Ford of Europe. “This eye-catching vehicle blends Ford’s decades of success in pick-up trucks with striking motorsport-inspired design to offer a road-focused truck combining immense kerb appeal with the hard-working ability that our customers love.”
Unfortunately, it looks like this Ranger MS-RT is limited to European markets, but we have seen MS-RT Transits make it down to New Zealand in the past, so we won't be ruling it out.