On the occasion of the reveal of the 2022 Ford Maverick—the first truly compact pickup truck from the company since the old Ranger was discontinued in 2011—we took a look in our archives and noticed that the 1996 Ford Ranger SVT V-8 prototype is actually out-muscled by the turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder EcoBoost version of the new Maverick. And the V-8, rear-drive Ranger SVT had a lot of trouble getting its tires to hook up, while we assume the all-wheel-drive EcoBoost-powered Maverick will have significantly less trouble.
Either way, it’s worth a look back at a fascinating compact muscle truck that never was, and to consider what the similarly-sized Maverick could bring to the table in terms of performance.
Read our original first test from August 1996 below:
Not everyone’s going to like the SVT Ranger V-8. But then, Ford isn’t building this truck for everyone. In fact, this one-off engineering prototype was only released to MotorTrend for this exclusive first test.
Ford’s Special Vehicle Engineering group knows there’s way too much hair on this sport truck’s knuckles to please the multitude of main-street poseurs who’ve slipped into pickups and designer western wear. So even if Ford decides to fire this potent model down the assembly line, we’re expecting only about 5,000 a year to see the light of day.
A rugged TR-3550 Tremec five-speed manual transmission was bolted behind the 5.0, ensuring that durability would be there for repeated “executive reviews.” Our experience is that these boxes are bulletproof. On the downside, the 5.0-liter’s rev limit and the top of the Tremec’s second gear occur just below 60 mph, requiring a shift to third that added a frustrating extra couple of tenths to our runs to 60.
If this little performer actually makes it to market for under $20,000, we think Ford might want to adjust its volume projections to more than 5,000 a year. The Ranger SVT is an absolute hoot to drive.
Tech Data: Ford Ranger SVT Prototype
| GENERAL/POWERTRAIN | |
| Body style | 2-door, 2-passenger |
| Vehicle configuration | Front-engine, rear-drive |
| Engine configuration | V-8, OHV, |
| 2 valves/cylinder | |
| Engine displacement, ci/cc | 302/4942 |
| Horsepower, hp @ rpm, SAE net | 240 @ 4800 |
| Torque, lb-ft @ rpm, SAE net | 285 @ 4000 |
| Transmission | 5-speed manual |
| Axle ratio | 3.73:1 |
| DIMENSIONS | |
| Wheelbase, in./mm | 113.9/2893 |
| Length, in./mm | 196.3/4986 |
| Base curb weight, lb | 3554 |
| Fuel capacity, gal. | 17.0 |
| Fuel economy, | |
| EPA city/hwy., mpg | 17/25 (est.) |
| CHASSIS | |
| Suspension, f/r | Upper & lower control arms/live axle |
| Steering | Recirculating ball, power assist |
| Brakes, f/r | Vented discs/discs, ABS |
| Wheels | 17x 9.0, chromed aluminum alloy |
| Tires, f/r | Goodyear GS-C, |
| 255/45ZR17//285/40ZR17 | |
| PERFORMANCE | |
| Acceleration, 0-60, sec | 7.2 |
| Quarter mile, sec/mph | 15.1/94.1 |
| Braking, 60-0, ft | 148 |
| PRICE | |
| Base price | $19,950 (est.) |
| Price as tested | $22,250 (est.) |
By: motortrendauthor
Title: The Ford Ranger SVT V-8 Prototype Tested: Smoke Machine With a Bed
Sourced From: www.motortrend.com/news/ford-ranger-svt-v8/
Published Date: Fri, 11 Jun 2021 17:00:00 +0000
