A left-hand drive Ford Ranger Raptor has been caught testing – marking the first ever sighting of a left-hand drive example of the highly anticipated performance pickup.

Ford fans who were hoping the Ranger Raptor would arrive in the US should be elated at this truck’s sighting, as it essentially confirms it will be sold here.

Our spy photographer also took a video of the truck (below) in which you can hear the Ranger Raptor’s 2.0-liter twin-turbo diesel engine clatter away. The engine makes 211 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque in the global-spec Ranger Raptor and is linked to a 10-speed automatic transmission.

It’s not clear if the diesel will find its way into US-spec Ranger Raptors, or if Ford is simply testing the truck’s suspension and brakes with this prototype. The 2019 Ranger FX4 is powered by the automaker’s 2.3-liter Ecoboost four-cylinder, and while we’d sure like to see the new twin-turbo diesel appear, this would be a more sensible choice for the US-spec Ranger Raptor. Diesel is, after all, falling out of favor with many consumers.

The US-spec Ford Ranger Raptor should make its debut sometime this year – perhaps at the 2018 Los Angeles Auto Show in late November.

a version of this story first appeared on AutoGuide

The post First Sighting of Left Hand Drive 2019 Ford Ranger Raptor appeared first on AllFordMustangs.