• Ford is expanding its Bronco SUV lineup to include a new "desert-racing beast" model that will go on sale later this year.
• The 2022 Ford Bronco Raptor adds to an already wide lineup of the popular SUVs as the automaker attempts to fulfill an order bank of tens of thousands of reservation holders for current models.
• Ford CEO Jim Farley called the new vehicle a "desert-racing beast."

DETROIT – Ford Motor is expanding its Bronco SUV lineup to include a new Raptor model that will go on sale later this year starting at about $70,000.

The 2022 Ford Bronco Raptor adds to an already wide lineup of the popular SUVs as the automaker attempts to fulfill an order bank of tens of thousands of reservation holders for current models. Ford said a majority of the first new Raptor models will be offered to existing reservation holders, followed by orders opening in March and deliveries beginning in the summer.

"We poured all of our passion and all of our Bronco and Raptor know-how into creating this absolute desert-racing beast," Ford CEO Jim Farley said in a release.

Automakers have increasingly been adding performance models to their lineups as a way to beef-up profit margins on vehicles and generate attention. Most recently, General Motors last week announced a new high-performance Cadillac Escalade model.

Ford uses the Raptor name for performance, high-speed off-road variations of its popular F-150 pickup in North America and a Ranger midsize pickup in global markets. The name has a fan following, which Ford will try and replicate with Bronco owners.

"This is truly not only a Bronco, but it has earned the Raptor badge," Derek Bier, Ford performance vehicle engineering manager, said during a media event.

The Bronco Raptor looks similar to current models but features a host of new performance and off-road parts specifically designed for desert racing as well as extreme rock crawling. It's also nearly 10 inches wider than the current models, a trait shared with F-150 Raptors.

The vehicle also features a "FORD" Raptor grill similar to the F-150; enhanced hood, including additional vents for cooling the engine; unique tail lights; and upscale interior, including additional structural bars and a new 12-inch driver instrument cluster.

"It's a very, very high-performance vehicle," said Paul Wraith, Bronco design chief. "This is a hungry beast. It needs cooling."

The Bronco Raptor will be powered by a 3.0 liter twin-turbo engine that's expected to generate more than 400 horsepower, according to Ford. That compares with the Bronco's current top engine, a 2.7-liter twin-turbo engine with up to 330 horsepower.

The Bronco Raptor will start at $69,995, Ford said. Starting pricing of current Broncos range from about $30,000 to $50,000.