One of the first things we thought when we saw the 2019 Ford Ranger was, nice truck and all, but when are they making the Raptor version?

Does this make us greedy? Jaded? Maybe, but a smaller version of the Baja-conquering F-150 Raptor was too obvious not to happen -- and anyway, we've known the truck has been in development for months now.

In any case, the Ford Ranger Raptor just made its official global debut in Thailand. The characteristically assertive Raptor grille, the wide fender flares and yes, the six-mode terrain management system that includes the all-important “Baja” setting are all here, but it all comes together in a smaller footprint. What's not to like?

Of course, it’s not just a matter of tacking Raptor parts and appearance bits onto the smaller truck and calling it a day. For one, it's powered by a 2.0-liter turbodiesel mated to a 10-speed auto; the motor reportedly makes 210 hp and a grunty 369 lb-ft of torque. Further, the Ranger Raptor gets a unique frame designed to accommodate the trucks special suspension -- there’s a solid axle with coilovers and a Watt’s link setup in the rear -- and built to withstand “high-impact off-road events.” Which is automaker-speak for “sick jumps.”

As with the F-150 Raptor, Fox Racing Shox supplies the shock absorbers. There’s a 2.3 mm (about 0.1 inch) steel “bash plate” protecting the underbody.

Inside the Ranger Raptor's cockpit. Mail carriers would surely appreciate the right-hand drive setup, but it's obviously something that will have to change before the truck hits American shores.

Though it hasn’t offered complete specs, Ford says the Ranger Raptor gets “long-travel suspension,” which is what you’d want in a truck meant for high-speed transit over desert terrain. We’re not yet sure what that translates to in terms of real-world capability. We do know that the truck gets a 32.5 approach angle and 24 degree breakover and departure angles -- not exactly competitive with a dedicated crawler like the new Wrangler JL Rubicon, it slightly bests the Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 (30 and 23.5 degrees, respectively).

Still, we don’t see this thing directly competing with the likes of the Colorado ZR2. The Ranger Raptor is, like its bigger brother, apparently designed for bashing sand dunes, the ZR2 seems more at home tackling trails and crawling over rocks. Add in the Jeep Wrangler pickup, as well as the solid Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro, and we’re spoiled for fun midsize (whatever that means these days) trucks, each designed and built with slightly different objectives in mind.

Again, this is a global debut; the truck shown here is not exactly what we expect to see here (for one, the steering wheel is on the wrong side -- they drive on the left in Thailand). Ford has not said when the Ranger Raptor will go on sale in the United States, but given the popularity of the F-150 version, it’d be ludicrous to not offer this thing to American buyers given our insatiable appetite for laughably overcapable trucks. Come on, Ford! Every quarter it isn’t on sale here is a quarter where money is left on the table!

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