In the Ford Ranger lineup, it’s the Raptor that stands on top of the pile. Its powerful engine options, special off-road features, and beefy suspension sets it apart from the rest of the range.
But there are those who’d like a Ranger with a different twist. It may be a small niche, but there are pickup shoppers who’d like their truck to, well, sit a little lower to the ground.
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Making an appearance for the first time in Southeast Asia is the Ford Ranger MS-RT. It was first introduced as a sportier version of the pickup over in Europe, and it’s the exact opposite of the Raptor, at least in philosophy.
For starters, the MS-RT comes with a bodykit, something unimaginable in the off-road oriented Raptor. There’s a low front chin, side skirts, tailgate spoiler, and an aggressive rear bumper. It then rides on 21-inch wheels shod in low profile high performance tires.
According to Ford, the Ranger MS-RT is ‘the ultimate street truck’ that offers ‘more car-like driving dynamics.’ That’s mainly thanks to the unique suspension arrangement that sees it sit 40mm lower than the standard Wildtrak models.
That ‘Sport Truck’ theme continues on the inside. There are deeper bucket seats in there, along with unique black and blue patterns and suede trims there. It also adds a steering wheel with a thicker rim and blue stitching, plus a blue stripe on the 12 o’clock position.
Despite the ground-hugging body kit and lower ride height, the Ford Ranger MS-RT has four-wheel drive standard. It even has goodies such as a rear differential lock and terrain management system. Just in case, perhaps?
It looks sporty and all, but what’s under the hood? Thankfully, the Ranger MS-RT packs more punch than the standard variants. Instead of the familiar 2.0-liter biturbo diesel, this one comes out swinging with a 3.0-liter Powerstroke V6 turbodiesel. The six-cylinder puts out 237hp and 600Nm of torque, a great deal more than the 2.0-liter’s 210hp and 500Nm figure. The MS-RT only comes with a 10-speed automatic transmission.
