A J300 GR Sport Toyota Land Cruiser was spotted on a truck full of test vehicles in America. Our best bet — given the Michigan plates and the presence of Jeep Wranglers and a BMW M4 — was that Ford was benchmarking it. Now, we may have a little more insight into why Ford may have wanted to benchmark a J300.
Ford Authority, citing anonymous sourcing, reports that Ford is considering building an even more off-road capable Expedition. It’s not confirmed that it will be an Expedition Raptor, but calling the new SUV an Expedition Raptor has not been ruled out.
Can Ford build an Expedition Raptor?
An Expedition Raptor seems straightforward for Ford to build. The Expedition Timberline already features more or less the F-150 Raptor engine with the high-output 3.5-liter V6 putting out 440 horsepower and 510 lb-ft of torque. It packs 33-inch all-terrain tires, the F-150 Raptor’s skid plate, 10.6 inches of ground clearance and the Bronco’s Trail Turn Assist.
Anything above and beyond the Expedition Timberline would surely qualify as “a Raptor.” Ford probably could have gotten away with calling that vehicle an Expedition Raptor with a few styling tweaks.
Should Ford build an Expedition Raptor?
It would make sense. The Expedition has been losing market share against other large SUVs. An Expedition Raptor could be a differentiator for Ford. The GMC Yukon and Toyota Sequoia are capable off-road and offer AT4 and TRD Pro trims respectively. But they are not off-roaders per se. The Wagoneer is a Jeep product, but it’s not a trail-rated one. And Toyota no longer offers the Land Cruiser.
The Raptor “sub-brand” is already expanding. Ford added the Bronco Raptor and has confirmed a Ranger Raptor is coming. A three-row Raptor vehicle would be the natural next step. And an Expedition Raptor would be an easier route to get there than working a three-row Bronco from scratch.
