Is that a Ford Raptor Dakar racer lurking in the long grass?

Either it’s a prototype of Ford’s upcoming Raptor-based Dakar challenger aiming to sweep all before it in 2025, or it’s Sasquatch in some Ford-branded merch. On balance, we’re going with the latter. Bigfoot loves an F-150, after all.

As does Ford. The Blue Oval set out its stall nice and early when, in January this year, it revealed plans to enter the 2025 Dakar Rally as part of a wider global motorsport initiative that involves taking on everyone.

“Racing is part of Ford’s DNA,” boss Jim Farley said back in Jan. “We earned that by living in the future, not the past.

“We will race to win everywhere: Mustang on the track and Raptor off-road, to mind-blowing EV demonstrators and unforgettable brand experiences for our customers,” he added.

Raptor off-road. We know only this: Ford’s Dakar monster – potentially lurking in the long grass in the spy shot above, potentially not – will be a ‘Raptor-branded’ truck. A truck that’s clearly sprouted roof-mounted fins, a building site’s worth of rear scaffolding and a bespoke, outlandish body.

Or, it could be a giant mythical creature wearing Ford-branded shoulder pads. Tough to tell, really.