The idea of stuffing a V8 under the bonnet of the Ford Ranger Raptor wasn't just popular because — well — V8. It was also a popular pipedream because it came after the vocal social media backlash surrounding the decision to put a tame-on-paper 2.0-litre bi-turbo in the Raptor instead of a burly EcoBoost four or six (nevermind that the bi-turbo is ideal for the silly stuff the Raptor was intended for).
So, when it was reported in January that a V8 Ranger Raptor was in development, people unsurprisingly burt out in raptures. However, those plans look set to have been kicked into touch.
Which Car, the same outlet that broke the initial story at the start of the year, has reported that plans to develop a V8 Raptor have been put "on indefinite hold" due to "budget constraints".
Fresh concerns over budget are tied in with the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic, which has resulted in manufacturers worldwide having to tighten their belts and either delay or cancel various pet projects in order to limit spend and losses.
While plans to build a V8-powered Ranger Raptor have never been formally unveiled by the blue oval, reports suggest they were relatively far down the path towards production.
It's been reported that Premcar, former engineers of the Ford Performance Vehicles line and the engineers behind the Nissan Navara N-Trek Warrior, had been selected to develop the off-road monster. Ford's 5.0-litre Coyote V8 from the Mustang GT had been chosen as the engine.