Ford has found a particular vein of fortune in its Raptor sub-brand. Starting with the F-150 Raptor and since expanding to the Ranger, the Raptor nameplate has brought massive attention to the brand, as well as carve out a new niche of fast-moving off-road vehicles. (You know you’ve found a good niche when your rivals give their competitive products names that riff on yours.) And given Ford’s desire to use its popular nameplates on more and more models — see: Bronco, Mustang — to spruce up their images, it’s perhaps surprising that Ford’s latest Transit Trail van doesn’t wear a Raptor badge to go along with its Raptor-esque grille.
Still, while it may not pack the hardcore hardware of a Raptor, the Transit Trail is a rather badass van in its own right. All-wheel-drive with drive modes optimized for mud, ruts and slick conditions and a lock mode that splints power 50/50 between axles is an option; standard, however, are a heated windshield, 16-inch wheels and leather seats. And should you decide, for some reason, not to opt for AWD, you can take heart knowing the front-wheel-drive version boasts a standard mechanical limited-slip differential inspired by the sort found in the likes of the Fiesta ST and Focus ST.
Given that the Transit is already one of the primary choices for building a new camper van, you can imagine how this all-terrain-capable (or at least more-terrain-capable) version would make a spectacular base for a boxy domicile on wheels. But if you’re already mentally building your dream camper van off the Transit Trail, we’re afraid we’re about to burst your bubble: it’s not available in the United States. Only folks in Europe can enjoy the capability in this Raptor-faced van. Still, considering America’s love of all things off-road (and saurian), we wouldn’t be shocked to see something like it make its way Stateside before long.
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