It seems that Blue Oval is doing everything to squeeze some additional profit from its mid-size pickup truck. The very new prototype that has been spied cruising near Ford headquarters in Dearborn, Mich sports some pretty unusual equipment. Word on the street says that this could be the U.S.-specs 2020 Ford Ranger Diesel.
Even though the prototype doesn’t really point out any clear sign that we are looking at the oil-burner Ranger, the possibility definitely exists. First of all, the automaker has to have something like that in offer simply because the biggest rivals offer diesel models. Also, the company updated the oil-chugging system for the European twin and we are pretty sure that the option could work home as well.
The overseas Ranger comes paired with a 2.0-liter turbodiesel mill available with 130 and 170 horsepower. There’s also the same twin-turbo unit that pumps out 210 horsepower and 370 pound-feet of torque. All of them come coupled either with the automaker’s new 10-speed automatic transmission or optional 6-speed manual ‘box and every single model uses all-wheel drive system.
Taking into account what is at stake under the hoods of the biggest rivals, the U.S.-specs 2020 Ford Ranger Diesel will definitely skip the base 130-hp unit. Instead, the automaker will most probably try luck with the other two. That way, the company will find a way to compete with the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon paired with the same 2.8-liter 181-hp engine, as well as against the new Jeep Gladiator which sports a 260-hp 3.0-liter turbodiesel.
At the moment, the Ranger comes paired with a turbocharged 2.3-liter EcoBoost engine. Such a model has to undergo certain changes in order to receive diesel technology, and that’s exactly what’s happening underneath the testing prototype. Well, at least we think that way since the pickup sports a metallic canister where usually is the exhaust. On the other hand, the exhaust is actually the metallic device in the bed.
Stay tuned for updates.