The 2019 Ford Ranger may be new to you, but it’s been around the block a few times. That block being the world.
The small pickup is a redesigned version of one that’s been on sale in global markets since 2012, when Ford stopped selling the old Ranger in the U.S. to focus on full-size trucks.
That means the next-generation Ranger is already far down the development path, and Wheels magazine may have spotted it in the wild. The Australian publication photographed what could be either a prototype or styling model for the new Ranger on a street in Melbourne.
The silver pickup’s brand badges are covered, but the grille appears to be a riff on the look of Ford’s larger trucks, with a shield-shaped grille bisected by horizontal bars that are bookended with “C-clamp” shaped headlights, similar to the lights on the F-150 and F-Series Super Duty.
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The automaker hasn’t commented on the photos, and it’s possible that the truck belongs to another automaker trying to emulate the Blue Oval brand’s style. But the location of the truck’s discovery points to Ford, as the current Ranger was originally engineered by Ford’s Australian division, which is headquartered in nearby Campbelfield.
Of course, even If it is Ford’s, it could just represent one of many proposals being considered for the new Ranger, which isn’t expected to debut until 2021 at the earliest. Since the 2019 model just hit U.S. showrooms in January, don’t expect any official announcement on the new truck that might distract from it until much closer to that date.