Ford knows the Maverick is a hit. They may have stumbled into it, but the vast majority of Maverick owners have never owned a Ford pickup before. Considering that pipeline to possibly loyal Ford owners who will return to the brand in the future, it’s no wonder they’re looking at the tuner crowd the way Toyota has with the GR Corolla and realizing they’ve found gold. Or at least possibly loose change in enthusiasts’ pockets.
So now Ford’s unleashing a turbocharging kit for current owners of the 2025 Maverick AWD XL, XLT, and Lariat models with the 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine. It goes on sale some time in 2026. This 300T Project Vehicle isn’t exactly what they’ll put on sale—it’s a demonstration of intent Ford is unveiling at SEMA in Las Vegas. Here’s what that 300T Concept has, and what Ford’s saying. Plus, some of our chin-scratching about what Ford has not done—yet.
Turbo Mode
Off the bat, know that this isn’t just a pile of fancy trim. Luckily, Ford’s taking the guts of this project seriously, by fitting the turbocharger from the 2.3-liter Mustang EcoBoost to the 2.0-liter Maverick motor that in all forms makes 250 horses. Ford says the “significantly larger” 59mm compressor wheel (up from 53 mm) bumps horsepower by 20 percent (50 horsepower) and amps torque from 277 pound-feet to 317 (a 15 percent increase). Ford includes a Mishimoto intercooler (that has nearly 60 percent higher capacity) and retunes the engine as well, likely to make sure power delivery is reasonably smooth and to adjust shift points of the eight-speed automatic.
Not Just A Turbo
If you’re not already thinking about it, here’s what went unsaid: This update isn’t for the Ford Maverick Lobo. That truck has a different seven-speed transmission rather than the 8-speed of the AWD XL, XLT, and Lariat models. We’ll get into what could be going on here further below in this post.
Suspension, Exhaust, Wheels, And Tires
Meanwhile, the SEMA truck gets 20-inch wheels vs. stock 19s on Lobo, shod with Michelin Pilot Sport 4S rubber. And it does get some Lobo gifts, too, in the form of a street-truck lowering kit from the Lobo, dropping the 300T by .4 inches lower in front; 1.18 inches, rear. This yields the more classic “level” street-truck vibe that the Lobo has. In addition, it should corner better, with improved monotube rear dampers with increased compression and rebound damping, plus Lobo bushings and stabilizer bar. Ford also adds a cat-back exhaust via Borla.
What’s Missing?
While Ford can enable a turbo swap to unleash more power than you’ll get in the Ford Maverick Lobo, they cannot easily offer that truck’s torque-vectoring mode for non-Lobo buyers. That’s because the Lobo alone has the twin-clutch-pack rear drive unit from the Bronco Sport. Torque vectoring enables quicker cornering by over-driving the outside rear wheel as you initiate a corner.
Fine Print
Ford says that they’d prefer if—whenever the 300T package goes on sale—customers who purchase the 300T kit also have the 4K tow package, which, according to Ford “…ensures the truck’s drivetrain and cooling systems can handle the increased performance.” The 4K package adds transmission cooling, among other benefits, but it’s not clear if they’ll veto installing the upgrades on your Maverick if you don’t have that package. FYI, the 300T upgrade will be warrantied for three years if a Ford dealer does the install.
TopSpeed’s Take
Not equipping the Lobo version of the Maverick could hurt Lobo sales. That truck’s quicker-shifting gearbox and trick torque-vectoring (even if *only* for track use) gives Ford a category that none of their peers offer. But more horsepower is like pouring caramel onto salted popcorn: Good luck saying, “No, I’m good.” Of course, it could be that the turbo offer is just way too spendy for many customers to opt in. So that could make the Lobo the next-best street-truck tier, which is fine. Of course, what we’re wondering is whether this means a Lightning Lobo—or something along those lines—is on the way.
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