Ford is readying new Raptor variants for its high-performance off-road sub-brand as it works to become “the Porsche of off-road”.
Currently, Ford produces hardcore Raptor variants of just three models – the Ranger, Bronco and F-150 – but just one of this trio is sold in Australia: the Ranger Raptor, which routinely accounts for up to 15 per cent of demand for the country’s top-selling model over the past three years.
However, the American automaker is planning a fresh assault on a growing market niche it wants to own.
Speaking at this year’s Dakar Rally, in which Ford has fielded four factory-backed cars – with another four privateers also running the V8-powered Raptor T1+ race trucks – the brand confirmed there was more Raptor love coming.
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“We have a huge opportunity to grow the [Raptor] product offerings,” said Will Ford, general manager of the recently rebranded Ford Racing division, which has now been tasked with product development of future models.
“Our intention is really to make sure that we very thoughtfully expand the lineup of Raptor products, especially globally.”
Mr Ford’s comments come weeks after Ford CFO Sherry House first floated the idea of expanding the Raptor family.
“I know that some people in the audience here just had a wonderful ride in some of our Raptors, and that’s a product that I think that we’re going to be doing a bit more of as well,” said Ms House at the 2025 Barclays Global Auto and Mobility Tech Conference just before Christmas.
Will Ford, son of former CEO Bill Ford, describes Raptor as “a category-defining product” that has “organically evolved into being one of our most powerful brands”.
And he believes there’s more to play for in the Raptor space.
“There’s definitely opportunities within our current product portfolio for new Raptor variants,” he said.
“We think there are products in our lineup that lend themselves to a Raptor derivative that would maintain the tenet and the DNA of what Raptor is.”
Mr Ford says the company is acutely aware of the importance of maintaining the hardcore DNA of its Raptor sub-brand, reaffirming that it “wouldn’t dilute the brand but would also bring a unique value prop and new customers into the brand”.
“Raptor will always be the pinnacle of off-road – that is not going to change,” he said. “We’re always pushing the limits, we’re always improving the cars.”
The question is which other models will receive the Raptor treatment. A left-fielder could be a high-riding off-road version of the iconic Mustang muscle car.
A report by Car&Driver back in 2023 insisted Ford would release a limited-edition Mustang Raptor in 2026.
Expected to be priced from around US$90,000 (A$134,180), it will reportedly be powered by the Mustang Dark Horse’s naturally aspirated 373kW 5.0-litre V8, with torque sent to all four wheels via an electronically controlled centre differential.
C&D even suggested a Raptor R with a 522kW-plus supercharged 5.2-litre V8 would follow, also equipped with a 2.0-inch suspension lift and Fox Live Valve dampers, plus all-terrain tyres, underbody protection, and wheel-arch cladding.
While it’s not an immediately obvious choice for a sub-brand that until now has focused on genuine off-road vehicles based on a ladder-frame architecture, some sports car brands have offered high-performance off-road model variants that have proven highly desirable, such as the Porsche 911 Dakar and Lamborghini Huracan Sterrato.
Speculation from the US also suggests the Expedition large SUV sold in North America is high on Ford’s Raptor hit-list.
As the SUV version of the F-150, it’s an obvious choice given much of the engineering work would transfer over from the F-150 Raptor.
There’s also the compact Maverick dual-cab ute, which is more of a lifestyle vehicle than an off-roader, which could make it a less likely candidate.
And in 2023 Ford unleashed the all-electric Mustang Mach-E Rally in some overseas markets, adding some extra ground clearance and off-road capability to the mid-size electric SUV.
Of course, a more obvious choice is an Everest Raptor, which could easily tap into the work already done for the Ranger and Bronco Raptors (both of which are based on the Australian-engineered T6 platform), and would help take the Raptor sub-brand further globally, given the Bronco remains a left-hand drive-only model.
However, Ford has previously pushed back on an Everest Raptor, arguing it would not be a big hit with customers, prompting it to instead develop the Tremor variant that increases off-road capability without the Raptor pace or price.
Late last year that Everest Tremor was offered overseas with a 2.7-litre twin-turbo petrol V6 making 260kW of power and 500Nm of torque, which is close to the 292kW/500Nm outputs of the Ranger Raptor’s 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6.
Ford CEO Jim Farley has also opened the door to limited-edition specials based on its racing pursuits – perhaps a Raptor Dakar – as the company expands its high-performance off-road range.
“In the off-road space especially there could be some interesting opportunities like that, but nothing to announce today,” he said.