Want some Raptor-tough looks but with 3.5-tonne towing? The limited edition Wildtrak X might be the ticket.

Ford has a new tough truck in its line-up that sits between the Raptor and Wildtrak utes.

Priced from $65,290, the Wildtrak X asks a $2000 premium on the Wildtrak, but Ford says it has fitted $6000 worth of accessories to satisfy the cost.

Extras include flared out black guards with matching lower bumpers and door handles, matt black 18-inch alloys with +35 offset, black nudge bar with LED lightbar, black grille, and a snorkel to suit full use of the Ranger’s 800mm wading depth.

Around 1000 examples will be made available to buy from Ford dealers this month, ahead of an update arriving soon for the entire MY20 Ranger line-up.

Two engines are available for Wildtrak X: standard is a 147kW/470Nm 3.2-litre five-cylinder diesel turbo, mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. Or, for an additional $1500, buyers can opt for the new 2.0-litre four-cylinder twin-turbo diesel producing 157kW/500Nm through a ten-speed auto.

Yes, that’s the same engine found in the Raptor, and at $66,790 plus on-road costs it’s approaching Raptor money, but the Wildtrak X has a more useful 3500kg braked towing capacity and near-one tonne payload over the desert-busting Ford Performance vehicle. It also has some better safety tech – the full suite includes AEB with pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise control, hill descent control, hill launch assist and automated parking assist.

Inside we see leather trim seats with orange stitching on the upholstery, steering wheel, gearshift and handbrake. Central to the dash is the same 8.0-inch Sync3 infotainment found in most Rangers, with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. There’s also keyless entry with push-to-start ignition.

Like all Fords, it’s covered by the Blue Oval’s five-year warranty on a capped-price servicing program which costs $299 every 12-month service.