The Ford Maverick debuted in the 2022 model year and quickly became an incredibly popular model for the automaker, filling the previously much-neglected compact truck segment. Almost as soon as the Maverick hit the market, its owners began customizing it for both looks and performance. Now, Ford is developing a special street-performance version of the truck called the Maverick Lobo, designed to help even more people to enjoy the value and adaptability that a Maverick can offer.
Maverick designer Josh Blundo is one of the main minds behind the new Lobo. Inspired by a clay model of the Maverick that he saw when he joined the company in 2019, he started altering the vehicle as if it were his own, adding a widebody, wings, a front splitter, and upgraded wheels. Tucci Hot Rods created a unique and popular Maverick build for the 2021 Special Equipment Manufacturers Association trade show based on his design, and Blundo and his team started working on the Maverick Lobo design shortly thereafter. The truck was inspired by the lowered trucks of the mid-1980s to early 2000s. To produce an authentic on-road performance truck, Ford engineers like Keith Daugherty employed parts and components from previous Ford performance cars and altered the Maverick's springs and suspension.
The Maverick Lobo has an on-road suspension system with tuned shocks, a lowered ride height, and a 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine. The Maverick Lobo has a roof height that is 0.8 inches lower and a ride height that is half an inch lower in the front and 1.12 inches lower in the back than a regular Maverick. To make customization easy and accessible for customers, the Lobo is available in two configurations: standard and high.
Some of the truck’s highlights include performance-tuned steering with torque vectoring via a twin-clutch rear drive unit similar to the Bronco Sport, and improved brakes with dual-piston front brake calipers, which were also utilized on the European Focus ST. The vehicle also has a brand-new Lobo drive mode inspired by autocross and drifting. Designed exclusively for closed courses, it enhances cornering performance, stability, and grip while reducing understeer.
With its distinct front fascia, painted rear bumper, rocker moldings, black-painted roof, and 19-inch black wheels, the Maverick Lobo reinterprets Maverick aesthetics through a fresh perspective. The interior features accent stitching in Grabber Blue and Electric Lime, a graffiti-inspired overprint on the seats, and the Lobo name embossed into the driver's and passenger's seats, all inspired by street art that designer Kristen Keenan saw while traveling.
You can preorder the Maverick Lobo right now, and delivery will begin in early 2025! To learn more, you can contact us here at Haldeman Ford.