7 days ago
Ford Bronco Sport 'Raptor' Seen in Spy Photos Is Actually a Hoax
Our spy photographers caught what we thought was a Ford Bronco Sport Raptor testing without camouflage, but it's actually just a joke.
The fake Raptor version of Ford's compact crossover sits higher, partially thanks to BFGoodrich Mud-Terrain T/A KM3 tires.
The prototype also has larger exhaust pipes and two mufflers instead of one, but we now know that a real-life Bronco Sport Raptor isn't in the cards.
UPDATE 7/24/25, 6:50 p.m.: A Ford spokesperson confirmed to Car and Driver that the Bronco Sport "Raptor" that was captured in our spy photos isn't a real upcoming model. Instead, it's more of an internal joke. "This is our team having fun, not a Bronco Sport Raptor. Just like our customers, we encourage employees to leverage the customization superpowers of the Bronco family and continue to explore possibilities," the spokesperson said in an email.
Once exclusive to the F-150 pickup truck, the Raptor nameplate has begun spreading through the Ford lineup. Along with the F-150 Raptor and V-8-powered F-150 Raptor R, Ford now sells a Raptor variant of the Bronco off-roader and a Raptor-ized version of the smaller Ranger pickup. It appears that Ford isn't stopping there: our spy photographers have caught this Raptor-badged Ford Bronco Sport prototype testing, and it seems to pack some serious hardware upgrades.
The Bronco Sport Raptor prototype wears no camouflage, curiously, and it proudly displays Raptor badges on the front doors and tailgate. The former appears to be the emblem from the tailgate of the Bronco Raptor, while the latter looks like the badge from the rear of the Ranger Raptor.
KGP Photography
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Car and Driver
The prototype also sports a Sasquatch sticker on the rear fender, suggesting that this vehicle may have started life as a Badlands Sasquatch model, a new addition to the Bronco Sport lineup for 2025. There's also a sticker on the rear window depicting Mothman, a cryptid that was reportedly spotted prowling West Virginia in the 1960s, spawning a series of tall tales. We're not sure what to draw from this sticker, and it might just be Ford engineers having a bit of fun, given that the Sasquatch package is already named for a legendary cryptid.
The steel front bumper and bull bar look identical to those of the Sasquatch, but there are some notable differences on this Raptor prototype. The fender flares are wider and feature exposed rivets. This Bronco Sport looks to have a taller ride height, which could come in part from a revised suspension.
But that extra ground clearance is also thanks to the beefy BFGoodrich Mud-Terrain T/A KM3 tires, a significant upgrade over the Sasquatch model's Goodyear Territory all-terrain rubber. Unfortunately, we don't know the tire sizes, as Ford's engineers appear to have scraped off the tire code on the sidewalls. Interestingly, the KM3 is a more serious off-road tire than the BFGoodrich KO2s fitted to all other Raptor models, with more of a focus on traction in mud and on rocks at the sacrifice of on-road performance.
KGP Photography
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Car and Driver
The prototype is also sporting a new exhaust setup. Instead of a single muffler that leads to two exhaust tips, there are two separate mufflers that each lead to much larger exhaust outlets. This could mean that the Bronco Sport Raptor could add some extra oomph on top of the 250 horsepower put out by the turbocharged inline-four.
We're not entirely sure what to make of this prototype. Ford could be developing a new Bronco Sport Raptor, or it could just be testing upgrades to the Sasquatch package or other optional equipment, with the Raptor badges meant to fool us. If this does enter production as a Bronco Sport Raptor, we expect even more design changes to differentiate it from lesser Bronco Sport models, starting with a bolder grille featuring the large "FORD" badging like other Raptor models.
Caleb Miller
Associate News Editor
Caleb Miller began blogging about cars at 13 years old, and he realized his dream of writing for a car magazine after graduating from Carnegie Mellon University and joining the Car and Driver team. He loves quirky and obscure autos, aiming to one day own something bizarre like a Nissan S-Cargo, and is an avid motorsports fan.
