Earlier this month, several 2019 Ford Ranger spy photos circulated the internet. The much-awaited pickup truck was spotted drive-testing near Ford's Dearborn headquarters.
The test mule is heavily camouflaged with a black-and-white coating of wavy dots. However, the photos make it seem like the sheet metal resembles that of the Ford Ranger currently sold in other countries.
After all, fans and car enthusiasts alike have long expected the 2019 Ford Ranger to be closely related to the vehicle sold worldwide. But Car And Driver recently reported that the test mule used in the photos could just be using the global Ranger's body for testing.
In the report, the author also suggested that Ford could just be evaluating foreign-market powertrains. The current Ranger sold overseas was developed by Ford of Australia. It is sold in some markets all over the world.
There is also a few noticeable aspect to the Ranger. Firstly, looking at the photos, it seems like the 2019 Ford Ranger's twin-bar grille is a downsized version of the unit for 2018 Ford F-150. The taillights are also similar to the F-150.
As for what's under the hood, the Ford Ranger is expected to come with a turbocharged EcoBoost 2.3-liter inline four as the standard powerplant. This is so the premium, and sports models can utilize the EcoBoost 3.5-liter V-6 engines.
Other speculated that it would come with Ford's naturally aspirated 3.7-liter V-6 for lower-priced models, and diesel power could be in the form of the 3.2-liter inline-five used in the Transit van. Or it could come with the 3.0-liter diesel V-6 that's planned for the 2018 F-150.
While one of these speculations could be true, Ford has yet to release a statement regarding the 2019 Ford Ranger specs. It is highly possible it will be offered in Rear-, Four-, and even an all-wheel-drive version.
The 2019 Ford Ranger Release Date is set to debut sometime this year. It is currently scheduled to be built at Ford's Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne.
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