This grille is familiar.
Ford has had to work hard to conceal the Bronco Rapper from spy photographer. The boxy appearance of the Ford Bronco Raptor is obvious. No amount of cladding will hide its wider fender flares and increased ground clearance. Ford has not tried to hide its design. Camouflage has been used on a lot of the SUV’s exterior, including the rear and front fascias. However, a new set of spy photos gives us a better idea of the rugged offroader Ford is creating.
Although the photos show the SUV in the same camouflage as the previous photos, the closer photos give a better view of a grille that appears to be quite familiar. The Bronco Raptor will get a bold FORD grille from the Blue Oval, just like the F150 Raptor pickup. The grille openings for the “O”, and “D” are clearly visible. These openings were visible in older spy photos, but they were more obscured. These photos show the test vehicle with BF Goodrich AT All Terrain T/A tires and what appears to be 17-inch wheels.
The Bronco’s Raptor transformation does not end with the beefier tires. There are unknown upgrades to the suspension that increase its ground clearance and broaden its stance. Ford will likely make some design changes to distinguish it from other Broncos. However, the camouflage conceals these from our curious eyes. The front bumper is missing from the test vehicle, but it will be included in the production version.
The Bronco Raptor’s powertrain remains elusive. There are two options for the Bronco Raptor’s powertrain: the twin-turbocharged, 3.5-liter V6 and the twin-turbocharged, 3.0-liter V6. The larger engine powers the F-150 Raptor with 450 horsepower (335kilowatts) while the Explorer ST has the smaller engine that produces 400 hp (298kW). The Ford Bronco Raptor is expected to be available for the 2023 model-year, although it’s not clear when Ford will unveil the model.