Enthusiasm for the 2022 Ford Maverick appears to be at an all-time high. As a result, any new look at the Maverick is bound to get some serious media attention. However, since these leaked images have to come from either Ford or one of its suppliers, they can spell big trouble. In fact, a recent leak essentially unveiled the truck before it officially arrived. According to Motor1, the American carmaker is cracking down on the people involved.

How did this 2022 Ford Maverick photo leak?

As you can imagine, a substantial number of people are working behind the scenes on the brand-new 2022 Ford Maverick. As a result, there are more opportunities than ever for photos to leak, thanks to the widespread use of smartphones. That is exactly what seems to have happened with the photo you see above since the truck in question is clearly on an assembly line. As a result, Motor1 report that Ford sent a reminder to its various suppliers to keep products like this under wraps.

Motor1 reports that no photos of the 2022 Ford Maverick are allowed in the various factories. This includes images of various significant components or even camouflaged vehicles. One of the most interesting parts of the memo consists of Ford stating that the suppliers would be held liable for damages caused by these leaks. As a result, a few images could spell big trouble.

Since these rules were likely already in place, chances are we won’t see a major change come from this. However, it does put the various suppliers on notice that Ford keeps an eye out what leaks onto the internet about its latest products.

Motor1 even acquired an image of this truck’s tailgate in July 2020, meaning these leaks have been consistently coming for quite some time. Regardless, it wouldn’t surprise us to see even more leaks before the official unveiling.

What else do we know about this truck?

According to Motor1, the current rumors suggest that the 2022 Ford Maverick might utilize the modular front-wheel-drive architecture from the Bronco Sport and Escape. If this turns out to be the case, Motor1 reports that the Maverick will likely feature a choice of two turbocharged engines. The first is a 1.5-liter three-cylinder, and the second a 2.0-liter inline-four.

Motor1 also reports that the 2022 Ford Maverick may utilize the front-wheel-drive platform from the Transit Connect. In this case, the engine options will likely be a 2.0-liter naturally aspirated engine or a 1.5-liter turbocharged engine.

Regardless of what powers this tiny truck, we know it’ll arrive for the U.S. market as a smaller truck than the Ranger. As a result, it should cost slightly less as well with higher trim levels available.

When will this truck formally arrive?

As of writing, there is no official release date for the 2022 Ford Maverick. Despite this, Motor1 estimate that the small truck will break cover sometime in late 2021. This would allow it to arrive in the U.S. market as a 2022 model. Unfortunately, Motor1 also reports that a two-door version of the truck may be available for markets outside of the U.S. However, it seems we’ll only get the larger four-door version. Regardless, we’ve already seen a fair bit of the truck ahead of its release.