Lucas Bell 
Ever since the debut of the Ford Bronco, fans have been clamoring about the lack of a tried and true Raptor model. While rumors surrounding the Baja-bashing variant of the reborn 4×4 have swirled since long before the SUV made its debut, we’ve had little solid information to go on to confirm the project’s existence. That changes today however, thanks to a new report from the Bronco6G forum. According to leaked information, the Bronco Raptor appears to be real, and is apparently going to be a 2023 model year product.
This Bronco 6G forum report comes from an administrator, and may be all the proof we need of the Bronco Raptor. You see, one Ford engineer appears to have gotten a bit too excited on their Linkedin Profile. While the forum has blurred their identity in their reporting, they didn’t hide the fact that this EDS engineer listed the 2023 Bronco Raptor as one of their current projects. An EDS engineer works on the electrical distribution system of a car, which helps to control all of the vehicles interconnected electrical systems.
A mistake on the part of the Ford engineer no doubt, especially for one listed with 28 years of experience. That said, this is huge news for all of us that were patiently waiting for the truly hardcore variant of the Ford Bronco. While this hasn’t helped to confirm any of the other rumors related to the SUV, it is a place to start.
In a recent interview with MC&T, Global Program Manager Jeff Seaman stated that the Bronco’s independent front suspension setup was necessary for a vehicle designed to be a high speed off-road desert runner. It appears now that he was indeed speaking about the upcoming Bronco Raptor and not the lineup as a whole. At this time other rumors suggest that the SUV will adopt the 3.0L EcoBoost engine found in the Explorer ST. Perhaps we can now consider this to be all-but-confirmed.
With this not-so-official confirmation of a Ford Bronco Raptor, the off-road segment heats up even further. Jeep already has a lot on their plate in responding to the Bronco, but takes things to a whole other level.
