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Forget supercars like Ferraris and Porsche, Ford's planning to make an off-road superute

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Ford Raptor T1+
Laura Berry
Senior Journalist
4 Feb 2025
3 min read

Ford really is serious about redirecting its energy away from EVs and into even more hardcore combustion vehicles. The company’s global boss revealed plans for a high-performance, ultra off-road capable Raptor supercar. Yes, one that you can buy - from a dealership.

The revelation comes following a Top Gear interview with Ford CEO and president Jim Farley recently. 

“We’re in the middle of creating something, so we don’t have all the answers yet, but the question is should Ford make an off-road supercar?” he told Top Gear. 

“Not a version of a car, a standalone supercar,” Farley said.

Ford’s intentions to pursue high-performance adventure vehicles came to light at the Detroit motor show early in 2025 when Farley told Automotive News he wanted the brand to be akin to Porsche but for off-road

“Ford wants to be the number one undisputed off-road brand in the world,” Farley said. “We want to be the Porsche of off-road.”

Becoming the Porsche of off-road is ambitious and a tad confusing for consumers (and journalists), it’s clear Ford is serious about going hardcore at a high level.

Ford recently finished on the podium of the Dakar Rally with its Raptor T1+. While this rally beast might have passing resemblance to a Ranger Raptor the Raptor T1+ is actually a ground-up build entirely designed for off-road racing. 

Powered by Ford’s 5.0-litre Coyote V8 with a dry-sump oil system, and featuring front and rear double wishbone suspension the Raptor T1+ uses a steel space frame and carbon fibre body panels.

Could this the T1+ inspire a production vehicle people could buy? Surely it’s as hardcore and high performance as it gets?

"Yes, the Raptor T1+ at Dakar represents the ultimate Raptor in many ways,” Farley told TopGear. “And we’re learning a lot from that both in terms of the competition but also in terms of feedback from customers, so all I can say is stay tuned…”

The Ford Ranger has been the best-selling vehicle in Australia for the past two years. In 2024 Ford sold 62,953 Rangers and while the sales of Raptor versions aren’t reported by the car maker it’s clear the variant is also popular despite its entry price of $90,440.

Laura Berry
Senior Journalist
Laura Berry is a best-selling Australian author and journalist who has been reviewing cars for almost 20 years.  Much more of a Hot Wheels girl than a Matchbox one, she grew up in a family that would spend every Friday night sitting on a hill at the Speedway watching Sprintcars slide in the mud. The best part of this was being given money to buy stickers. She loved stickers… which then turned into a love of tattoos. Out of boredom, she learnt to drive at 14 on her parents’ bush property in what can only be described as a heavily modified Toyota LandCruiser.   At the age of 17 she was told she couldn’t have a V8 Holden ute by her mother, which led to Laura and her father laying in the driveway for three months building a six-cylinder ute with more horsepower than a V8.   Since then she’s only ever owned V8s, with a Ford Falcon XW and a Holden Monaro CV8 part of her collection over the years.  Laura has authored two books and worked as a journalist writing about science, cars, music, TV, cars, art, food, cars, finance, architecture, theatre, cars, film and cars. But, mainly cars.   A wife and parent, her current daily driver is a chopped 1951 Ford Tudor with a V8.
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