“When you can get scale and engineering efficiencies through a lot of re-use of parts, you can really do a lot of things both from a business perspective and also from a customer perspective, making sure we’re bringing them new and exciting products,” John Emmert, Ford’s general manager of North America trucks, told Automotive News. “A lot of our enthusiast products create a halo for the rest of the brand.”
The Raptor line started as a skunkworks project on the 2010 F-150 that was well received by customers looking for off-road performance. Such buyers also exist in the midsize pickup segment, Ford says, creating an opportunity to expand the Ranger’s customer base and differentiate itself from rival trucks. The 2024 Ranger will be the first in North America to offer a Raptor version.
“They’re tapping into a great marketing ploy for extending the Ranger brand to new markets and new buyers,” said Sam Fiorani, vice president of vehicle forecasting at AutoForecast Solutions. “It doesn’t cost a lot, but it shows up in additional sales and definitely additional profits.”
