Ford Ranger MS-RT PHEV: Muscle, Voltage and Asphalt Hunger
Ford’s latest Ranger is no quiet hybrid compromise. The MS-RT PHEV charges onto the stage with lowered stance, widened track and enough presence to challenge both sports cars and workhorses alike.
If you still think hybrids are dull contraptions built solely for sipping fuel, Ford’s new Ranger MS-RT PHEV is about to rewrite that script. This isn’t a pickup trying to hide its dual nature but one that revels in it, straddling the line between utility and performance with unapologetic swagger.
At its heart lies a 2.3-litre EcoBoost turbo four paired with an electric motor, together delivering 281 horsepower and a massive 697 Nm of torque—figures that eclipse every other Ranger variant. The 11.8 kWh battery provides roughly 40 kilometres of electric range, which means city commutes can often skip the petrol pumps altogether.
But it is the stance that makes the MS-RT unmissable. A reworked suspension drops the ride height by 40 millimetres and widens the track by the same margin on each side. To house the 21-inch alloys, Ford fitted pronounced arch extensions, leaving the body 82 millimetres broader than stock. A bespoke grille, aggressive bumpers with splitter and diffuser, and not one but two spoilers—one atop the cab, the other at the bed—complete the transformation.
Inside, the show continues. Deeply bolstered sport seats carry illuminated logos in their headrests, while the steering wheel features a marked centre point, rally-style. It’s a cabin that blends functionality with the kind of theatre Ford’s commercial lineup rarely sees.
The MS-RT Ranger will make its debut at the Munich Motor Show, with orders opening later this year. And while Ford’s US division still toys with the idea of a 1000-horsepower hybrid SUV, this European special already proves the point: sportiness and electrification are not opposites but ingredients in a new formula. One that markets everywhere are more than ready to taste.
