Manoli Katakis 
Despite the current T6 Ford Ranger being a relatively new addition to the USA and Canadian market, the truck has existed in some markets for a decade now. In short, the truck is riding on some rather old bones relative to even the aging Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon (although US sales for the Ranger seem to be going along just fine, so make of that what you will). Since Ford Motor Company doesn’t appear interested in making the next Lada Niva, development of the next-generation pickup truck is well under way, and fresh spy photos of the 2023 Ford Ranger have been captured out on public roads. In the convoy were also the current-generation Ford Ranger Tremor, as well as a 2021 Ford Bronco in previous photos.
2023 Ford Ranger Engines, Horsepower Projections
The 2023 Ford Ranger is expected to debut next year, and will be for sale all over the world. powering the truck will still be a gasoline engine of some kind, as seen with the protruding tailpipe in the rear. Previous reports have suggested a 2.3L EcoBoost hybrid powertrain for at least the European market, said to produce 362 horsepower and 500 lb-ft of torque. That’s quite a lot for a mid-size truck by today’s standards. Higher end variants of the 2023 Ford Ranger – perhaps a Raptor version – could share the 2.7L EcoBoost V6 found in the 2021 Ford Bronco and 2021 Ford F-150.
Spy photographers weren’t able to get a clear shot of the interior this time around, but it’s expected that the 2023 Ford Ranger will arrive with Ford’s SYNC4 infotainment system, which will power a 12.8-inch display. A large digital instrument cluster is also expected, which is becoming par for the course in the segment. Additionally, the 2023 Ford Ranger will share a common architecture with the all-new Volkswagen Amarok pickup truck, and will even share an assembly line at the Michigan Assembly plant in Wayne, Michigan by 2022.
Exterior: Possible 2023 Ford Ranger Tremor?
Now, why would a 2021 Ford Ranger Tremor be testing alongside its replacement model? Why wouldn’t a basic Ranger suffice? A closer look gives us a few clues. Notably, the tire of choice on this particular 2023 Ford Ranger SuperCrew is the Goodyear Wrangler Territory HT all-season tire. Intended for long tread life and low abuse, these tires are simply not as capable off-road as the General Grabber AT/X found on the Tremor. However, the black cladding also does its job at hiding the rear suspension system of the new midsize pickup truck. If it’s not the traditional, tried-and true setup of a live rear axle and rear leaf springs, what’s to hide? Will Ford Motor Company gamble payload and towing capabilities for improved ride quality and adopt an independent rear?
In short, we don’t think this 2023 Ford Ranger represents a particular off-road variant at this time. Not even an FX4 package. The tires simply do not suggest as much, but that’s not to say that new FX4, Tremor or Raptor packages aren’t coming.
Lastly, the front-end of this 2023 Ford Ranger prototype appears to be masked well enough to make Dr. Fauci blush. However, the white screens seem to give clue to one big detail: the shapes of the front fascia appear to match that of the leaked image from 2019 of what’s alleged to be the actual design of the pickup truck. It appears far more chiseled, defined, and serious looking than the Ranger we know today.
Stay tuned to MC&T for more 2023 Ford Ranger news as it happens.
The leaked image from Wheels Magazine is from over 2 years ago in February 2019, not quite 1 year ago.
That is important, because it was very big deal for Ford, in unwanted early exposure at final design approval, since this truck isn’t in dealers until early 2022.
Thanks for catching that. Updated.