After PH, Ford Malaysia to get Ranger Raptor 2.0L Bi-Turbo

It took some time, but Ford Philippines officially brought the all-new Ranger Raptor to the country last week. However, those that have been waiting to get it with a 3.0-liter twin-turbo EcoBoost V6 will be disappointed.

That's because Ford Philippines only brought the 2.0-liter EcoBlue Bi-Turbo to the local market. When we asked Mike Breen, Managing Director of Ford Philippines, if they will be bringing the V6 variant, he simply said that “For now we feel this is the best package for the Philippines. The 2.0L Bi-Turbo diesel is proven. If in the future there is demand for a 3.0L gasoline, we could study that, but for now, this is the way for us to go.”.

For now, customers who wish to buy an all-new Ranger Raptor will have to settle for the 2.0-liter Bi-Turbo version which pumps out 210 PS and 500 Nm of torque. On the other hand, Thailand is the only market in ASEAN to get a choice between the 3.0-liter twin-turbo EcoBoost V6 and the 2.0-liter EcoBlue Bi-Turbo diesel inline-four. That's the benefit of being the production hub for the all-new Ranger Raptor.

However, Malaysia will soon get the 2.0-liter Bi-Turbo as well. Ford Malaysia recently announced that they will be launching the diesel version of the Ranger Raptor on June 9, 2023. That means Malaysia will be the second country in Southeast Asia that can get a choice between an EcoBoost V6 or a Bi-Turbo diesel on the Ranger Raptor.

So why will Ford Malaysia offer a diesel version when they already have the twin-turbo EcoBoost V6 since October 2022? While no official word was released, it could simply be a matter of customer preference. While the EcoBoost V6 is already popular among buyers, there are still those who swear by turbo-diesel power.

But what does this mean for the Philippine market? We go back to Mike Breen saying that if there is demand for the 3.0-liter EcoBoost V6, they could study bringing it to the Philippines. If there are enough customers and enthusiasts clamoring for the EcoBoost version, perhaps the possibility of the V6 Ranger Raptor could become a matter of when instead of if.

For now, all we can do is hope and wait that Ford Philippines actually decides to bring the EcoBoost V6 variant of the Ranger Raptor in the not-so-distant future.