Porsche and BMW USA also produced Pride-themed vehicles for 2020 virtual Pride events as well. Ford of Germany today released the first pictures of its Very Gay Raptor, which is the truck’s official designation from the company. Ford has been participating in CSD activities in Cologne since 1996. It even came with an animation of a Ranger sporting gold dust and the pride flag’s colors. Very gay is how one internet denizen described the new Ranger Raptor Special Edition pickup in a comment on a Ford Europe social media post. This was in response to a discriminatory comment on one of Ford’s social media platforms about the Raptor’s Performance Blue paint job as being very gay. Bentley introduced a rainbow version of its Continental GT V8 convertible as part of North West of England’s virtual Pride event last year. Ford responded to an internet troll with a strong statement against homophobia, creating a rainbow and glittery gold-wrapped truck that paraded the streets of Cologne, Germany to celebrate Pride Day. Other car manufacturers in Europe have contributed Pride versions of their vehicles in recent years. The company produced a special Pride flag painted pick-up truck version of its Ka model for Cologne’s Christopher Street Day celebrations in 1998.
The “Very Gay Raptor” marks the second LGBTQ Pride-themed offering from Ford. A Ranger Raptor got wrapped in a black and gold dust sparkle film from a company called Alphafoil and. It didn’t stop with an animation on Twitter. It was also created due to a specific, negative social media commenter that called the. Ford has been supporting the event since 1998. The truck’s physical debut coincides with the 25th anniversary of Ford’s Gay, Lesbian or Bisexual Employees organization (GLOBE), a company initiative aimed at supporting LGBTQ employees and continued workplace diversity. This year, Ford offered a rainbow-adorned Ranger Raptor for the occasion but the Raptors origin was two-fold. The rainbow-clad Ranger Raptor will be on display at Cologne Pride festivities until Saturday, August 28, and will be part of the Christopher Street Day Parade on Sunday, August 29.