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Import/Export Ready Ford F-150 Raptor R

The Raptor R is the long-awaited but maybe not inevitable zenith of the Raptor brand. In a world with no Ram TRX, would Ford drop a Shelby GT500 engine in a Raptor? Science tells us that the mere act of observation influences outcomes, and we have to think Ford observed Ram selling all the $90,000-ish trucks it could build and said, “You know, maybe we should do that.” And while Ram won’t say how many TRXs it has sold, the Stellantis trophy truck had a healthy head start on the Raptor R—we’ve already wrapped up our 40,000-mile test in our long-term TRX.So it’s a little bit curious, given the obviousness of the Raptor R’s competition, that Ford didn’t go for horsepower bragging rights. With the TRX making 702 horsepower, why not give the Raptor R 703? That would have been hilarious, and probably something Ram might do. Instead, Ford arrived at an even 700 horsepower at 6650 rpm, and its powertrain engineers make complete sense when they say that you can’t tell the difference between 700 horsepower and a little more than 700 horsepower. But trucks like this aren’t about making sense, unless you commute to Mike’s Sky Ranch in Baja. They’re about big numbers and loud noises and taking dirt that was over here and throwing it way over there, and then doing some sweet jumps. The Raptor R is spectacularly well equipped to handle all of that, even without horsepower bragging rights.For Raptor duty, Ford’s supercharged 5.2-liter V-8 gets a truck tune that fattens up the torque curve, delivering 640 lb-ft at 4250 rpm. The blown 5.2 gulps air so ferociously that Ford had to reinforce the Raptor’s intake ductwork because the EcoBoost-spec plumbing was distorting under heavy throttle. A new supercharger pulley gets the boost ramped up sooner, all the better for spinning those four 37-inch BFGoodrich All-Terrain KO2 tires. Because the V-8 adds 100 pounds to the front end, spring rates are increased, and there are some beefier frame brackets, but the suspension mostly carries over. The base Raptor, with its 450-hp twin-turbo 3.5-liter V-6, is available with either 35-inch tires or 37s, but the Raptor R gets only the 37s. That costs it an inch of front suspension travel but delivers 13.1 inches of ground clearance and, Ford admits, just helps it look awesome. The 35s are rational, but the 37s say it’s “Sunday, Sunday, Sunday!” And even though your ticket buys the whole seat, you’ll only need the edge.

2017 Ford F-150 Raptor SVT

When Ford released the original F-150 Raptor in 2010, it was insanely popular. It was the first true high-performance off-road pickup truck with a manufacturer’s warranty. Developed by Ford’s Special Vehicle Team, it survived the Baja 1000 desert race. More of the same are predicted now that the F-150 has a new and lighter platform.

Many details of the new 2017 F-150 Raptor are still shielded, but the second generation pickup will launch in fall of 2016 as a 2017 model under the new Ford Performance banner. It is also a more thoroughly engineered special vehicle itself… it has a dedicated chassis and powertrain to go with the special bodywork. The Raptor’s new boxed steel frame is reinforced from the normal F-150’s and will come in two sizes: the sportier 133-inch-wheelbase SuperCab and the roomier 145-inch SuperCrew. Despite the beefier frame, Ford claims that the new truck’s aluminum body cut 500 pounds from its pred­ecessors curb weight.

No longer is there a big V-8 under the hood, so that should save some weight right there. Yes, folks… the 2017 Raptor is EcoBoost only and the first beneficiary of a second-generation 3.5-liter V-6 with twin turbochargers and direct fuel injection. Ford says the high-powered EcoBoost engines it develops for sports-car racing influenced some of the production V-6’s improvements, including a new aluminum block and updates to the fuel system, cylinder heads, and internals. Paired to the Raptor’s engine will be the first application of Ford’s 10-speed automatic transmission and a new four-wheel-drive transfer case, which will work with a terrain-mode system to configure the truck for varying conditions (mud, snow, rocks, etc.). Controlled via steering-wheel buttons and a menu in the cluster, the system will tailor the characteristics of the engine, drivetrain, stability control, and more to help weekend warriors get the most from their Raptors without rolling them down hillsides.

There’s also no uncertainty that the new Raptor certainly looks the part all toned in its alloy. Of course, the raptor has its proud “FORD” grille and an array of marker lights. However, they are now framed in a design more in tune with the new look of the vehicle.

Like the first-generation model, the new Raptor features Fox Racing Shox with custom internal bypass technology. This time around the front and rear shock canisters’ diameter has increased from 2.5 inches to 3.0 inches. Ford says the new shocks have more suspension travel than the previous model’s 11.2 inches front and 12 inches rear travel.

The 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor will be built at the automaker’s Dearborn Truck Plant and will go on sale in fall of 2016 in the U.S. and Canada.