CEO Jim Farley said his team was debating making a standalone all-terrain supercar to ensure Ford is the off-road performance king

The success of Ford's Raptor-branded performance off-road vehicles, based on workhorses like the Ranger and F-150, has led the automaker to consider launching a standalone Raptor model.

The plan is to capitalize on the rise of the Raptor brand and Ford’s mission to “own off-road,” including an assault on off-road racing. This year, the American carmaker entered the Dakar Rally for the first time, with the Raptor T1+ finishing on the podium.

Ford introduced the Raptor branding in 2010, first on the F-150 SVT, later expanding Raptor as an off-road nameplate for the Ranger, a mid-size truck, and the Bronco, a mid-size SUV. The competition includes the Ram 1500 TRX and the Chevy Silverado ZR2, though it sounds like Ford is thinking a bit bigger than that.

It may seem far-fetched, but Ford appears to be interested in releasing a supercar with an off-road focus and the Raptor name.

The Raptor line of Ford pickups and SUVs has been a big hit for Ford since the first 2010 F-150 SVT Raptor was literally launched with its high performance off-road suspension system. The F-150 Raptor is now in its third generation and there are Ranger and Bronco Raptors to go with it.