Bronco Raptor

Make
Ford
Segment
SUV

When we heard that Ford would be reviving the Bronco, literally nobody thought this was a bad idea. When we later heard that there would be a Ford Bronco Raptor, we almost wet ourselves with excitement. More power, a short wheelbase, and modernized classic styling? Plus a desert-running suspension? Count us in. The trouble with following the development of new vehicles, however, is that our patience is tested and we're overeager to lap up any info we can find. Luckily, there have been some great spy shots lately, and we got to hear the Bronco Raptor for the first time last month. Now, a new video from The Bronco Nation on YouTube gives us an exclusive look at the new model tackling the trails.

When manufacturers are out testing their new vehicles, they typically don't allow photographers to get up close and personal with the prototype, but Ford's development program must be wrapping up soon, as the person shooting this video was able to take a closer look at the underside of the vehicle and got some great action shots of the off-roader attacking the sandy course. Very little of the cabin is shown bar a tag stuck onto the door sills with the internal development name of "Warthog DR1" written on it. This video basically confirms that we can expect a new cabin design and that we'll get to see the finished product soon.

We still have no confirmation from Ford as to the powertrain of the Bronco Raptor, but we can clearly hear that it's turbocharged. We expect that the Explorer ST will donate its 3.0-liter EcoBoost V6. If it carries over unchanged, we'll get 400 horsepower and 415 lb-ft of torque. Alternatively, the F-150's 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 could be fitted, offering 450 hp and 510 lb-ft. This seems unlikely to us, as the F-150 is something of a halo vehicle for the Blue Oval, but we'll know soon enough. Ford has confirmed that we'll see the car next year, and other reports have claimed that sales start in the summer.