Ford Mulls Raptor Off-Road Treatment for Everest SUV

Ford Motor Co. is considering extending its Raptor off-road performance package to the Everest crossover/SUV.

Made in Thailand, the 7-seat Everest (pictured) is a large SUV that shares the company’s Ranger pickup truck platform. Neither model is currently sold in the U.S.

Ford offers a Raptor version of its F-150 full-size pickup truck and is launching the midsize Ranger Raptor pickup later this year. That vehicle will be produced in Thailand and primarily marketed in the Asia-Pacific region. 

Raptor models get a beefier chassis, brakes and suspension to allow the vehicles to motor over rough terrain at high speeds. Applying the setup to the rear suspension of a crossover/SUV presents some packaging problems, Ford officials tell Drive. But they say a slightly toned-down version could be done that meets the growing demand for both crossover/SUVs and off-road performance.

A year ago, Ford announced plans to build a next-generation of the Ranger in the U.S. and revive the Bronco SUV as a variant. The vehicles, which will be built at Ford’s plant in Wayne, Mich., are expected to share a platform with the Everest. Production of the Ranger is due to start late this year, followed by the Bronco in 2020.