The Coolest Ford Ranger Street Truck Is Banned In The USA

Sometimes, you can’t get what you want … in the USA.

Ford has unveiled the Ranger MS-RT PHEV in Europe and the U.K. It’s a high performance version of the plug-in hybrid midsize pickup that’s been tuned by MS-RT, which is a division of the M-Sport team that builds many of Ford’s rally cars and off-road racing trucks.

The global Ford Ranger looks similar to the U.S.-made model, but is engineered differently for other markets. The Ranger MS-RT PHEV gets a 1.6-inch lower suspension than stock, wheel arches flared that much on each side for a wider stance, a sport-tuned suspension and a set of 21-inch wheels with low profile tires.

Power comes from the Ranger PHEV’s standard plug-in hybrid powertrain, which combines a turbocharged 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine with an electric motor to crank out 277 hp and a whopping 514 lb-ft of torque.

The battery pack is good for around 25 miles of all-electric driving and the truck is rated to tow up to 7,700 pounds.

Spoilers adorn the rear of the cab and tailgate and there’s a race-car style diffuser beneath the rear bumper. Interior upgrades include sport seats, blue trim and illuminated MS-RT badges on the seats and floor mats.

The street sport truck concept is similar to the new Maverick Lobo and F-150 Lobo, but Ford hasn’t given the Ranger the Lobo treatment yet. It hasn’t even trademarked the Ranger Lobo name, so it’s not clear when or if the U.S. will ever get something like the Ranger MS-RT PHEV.

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Ford has been toying with the idea of offering a plug-in hybrid Ranger in the U.S., but with the sunsetting of the federal electric vehicle purchase tax credit, which applied to plug-in hybrids, the demand for one may be fading. However, Ford already offers a non-hybrid Ranger MS-RT in Europe, so a Ranger Lobo is certainly possible.

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One model that definitely won’t be sold in the U.S. anytime soon is the similarly outfitted Tourneo Custom MT-RS minivan.

It gets motorsport-inspired styling and performance upgrades, like the Ranger, and is available with electric, diesel and plug-in hybrid powertrain options.