Custom shops often take, shall we say, artistic liberties when building unique cars, and the results aren’t always good (for evidence, take a gander at some of the show cars from the SEMA aftermarket bonanza). This custom Ford Everest is a welcome exception, however, and gives us an idea what a Ford F-150 Raptor pickup could have looked like as an SUV—had Ford decided to build one itself.
First off, what’s a Ford Everest? Sold in markets outside the U.S., the Everest is a midsize body-on-frame SUV based on the same T6 truck platform as the global Ford Ranger pickup. The SUV has three rows, offering seating for up to seven passengers. Because it overlaps with the U.S.-market Ford Explorer, the Everest wasn’t brought over when the Ranger returned to our shores. However, as you’re probably well aware of by now, that slot is being taken up in the U.S. market by a different SUV based on the next-gen Ranger: The new Ford Bronco.
Given the difference in dimensions between the midsize Everest and the F-150 full-size truck, you wouldn’t think it an ideal swap partner for the F-150 Raptor. Most critical, would the Raptor front end even mate well to the smaller SUV’s narrower bones? It would appear as though Thai custom shop TTN Hypersport sorted all of that out. Based on the images and video posted by TTN, the marriage of the Everest SUV and the Raptor pickup just . . . works. To match the grafted-on Raptor front end’s wider fenders, the Everest gets custom rear fender flares, which extend across the rear quarter panels, doors, and bumper. But the widening doesn’t stop there. A secondary black plastic fender flare protrudes from the body at all four corners, helping to cover the multi-piece deep-dish wheels that give the truck its bulldog stance.
Very few details on the build have been posted since it was revealed, but the clacking heard in videos suggests a diesel engine resides underhood. The Everest offers a number of diesel options overseas, but we’re hoping the tuner swapped in the foreign-market Ranger Raptor’s 210-hp, 369-lb-ft 2.0-liter turbodiesel and 10-speed auto to cash the hardcore check the exterior promises. But regardless of its powertrain, this custom is a success in our eyes. Sadly, we’re guessing it would be prohibitively expensive to get TTN Hypersport to build you one and ship it stateside (if it’s possible at all). But if the 2021 Ford Bronco lives up to the hype, we’d consider that a pretty good consolation prize. And, yes, it’ll have a Raptor variant.
!function(e,n,t)(o=e.createElement(n),o.id=t,o.src="//connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v2.2",c.parentNode.insertBefore(o,c))(document,"script","facebook-jssdk");
The post Here Is the Ford F-150 Raptor SUV That Ford Never Built appeared first on MotorTrend.
[ad_2]
Source link