Since 2017, the Ford Raptor had been only available with one engine - the 3.5-liter twin turbo EcoBoost
engine - which while good left many enthusiasts asking for more. With the first generation model fitted
with the 6.2-liter V8, the truck put out around 410 horsepower at 5,500 RPM and 434 lb-ft torque at
4,500 RPM, the second generation's power increase (up to 450 hp) was still not enough to satisfy
purists. The 3rd generation currently still uses the 3.5L twin-turbo despite fans' annoyance since it
puts out even more power than the 2nd generation at nearly 500hp, but Ford has an answer for this too.
However, sightings of the new Raptor R are becoming more and more frequent even with the truck not being
scheduled to debut until the end of this year. The Raptor R is slowly but surely building new hype,
especially since the debut of the Ram TRX - its only rival. Now, after seeing what the Ram is capable
of, it looks like Ford is ready to start letting the Raptor R play, and it's ready to play hardball.
Raptor R: Video
The Raptor R
What We Know
Big News
What We Expect
The big reveal: the new Ford F-150 Raptor R has finally broken cover in all of its glory. Fitted with the
5.2-liter supercharged V8 from the Ford Mustang Shelby GT500, this 700-horsepower and 640 ft-lbs truck
is designed to be the most capable off-road vehicle Ford has ever put into production. With the full
upgrade list from the 37 Edition (37-inch tires, beadlock-capable wheels, Fox dampers, front
limited-slip differential) as well as an aluminum driveshaft, deeper oil pan, cooler, and new intake
setup, the Raptor R looks ready to tackle any terrain or obstacle in its way. These upgrades reinforce
the truck's durability off-road and off-road performance by allowing the driver to push further without
fear of causing serious damage to the underside. Designed from the ground up as a vastly improved version of the regular Raptor, the outside of the Raptor
R features a few tell-tale signs of their off-road performance. The factory beadlock-capable wheels go
well with the 37-inch tire both aesthetically and in terms of durability over rough terrain. After two
generations of design and development, this ultimate Raptor uses the best parts of the current
generation and brings back the V8 from the first generation. If you had chosen to wait for the ultimate
Raptor, this is finally the pinnacle Ford's ICE-powered trucks. The upgraded agressive style follows through into the interior of the Raptor R while staying upscale and
luxurious. Finished with black leather and Alcantara suede, the Raptor R is loaded with high-tech
programming to make off-roading easier as well as making daily use more viable in a truck of this size.
With trail features like Trail 1-Pedal Drive, Ford Trail Control, and Trail Turn Assist, the driver can
control very small aspects of driving to ensure the truck handles off-road properly. With the amount of
improved technology found in the cabin of the Raptor R, Paired with Ford's
SYNC, Apple Play, and more, the interior of the Raptor R is as luxurious as the outside is rugged. The interior continues its smooth and stylish design with carbon fiber inserts in the doors, parts of the
instrument panel, and media compartment to provide an added tough. The tri-axial weave pattern is
supposed to show the combination of performance, durability, and toughness but also provides an
interesting stylistic choice, just as the Code Orange accents are. The dual sunroof helps make the space
brighter and more atmospheric by
bringing in more light across the full length of the cab. Like the other F-150s, this model features the
folding shifter to maximize cabin space for working. Until now, we already knew that the new 4th generation Raptor would be the most off-road capable model
yet with full 5-link suspension, extra-long trailing arms, and 24-inch coils in the rear. These together
mean the Raptor will be the most versatile generation Raptor both on the road and off. Other suspension
upgrades have been made too, as we showed when the truck first debuted. The newest Raptor has also been fitted with new enthusiast modifications, including full active exhaust
with four drive modes. The Raptor now rides on optional 37-inch tires similar to the ones found on the
Bronco and benefits from
different improvements made on the Bronco as well. This uprated setup means the
truck should perform more like a serious off-road truck when the driver wants it to while being
perfectly sedate when it needs to be. The full setup for the truck until now is far improved over the
second generation model, and with the Raptor R it is pushed even further.
As it was announced at the launch of the third generation Raptor, there had been a V8 variant in the
works. Now, the Raptor R has been caught testing on new occasions and it is back to the V8 truck it
started
as. Although it no longer runs the 6.2 liter V8, it is going to push more power than any other pickup on
the
road from the factory. Seen testing recently with it's only rival - Ram TRX - the Raptor R has come even
more into focus. The truck will be running the Predator motor - also found in the savage Shelby GT500 -
meaning ford came to fight. With the engine making 760 horsepower in the Shelby, it is safe to assume
the
Raptor R will be pushing out more power than the TRX's 702 horsepower, as well as putting out 625 lb-ft
of
torque which could be remapped for more torque in the Raptor R in order to improve off-road use. With
the
beefed up 5.2 liter supercharged engine, the V8 Raptor is reborn and is now more performance-ready than
before! By using the Shelby-sourced Predator V8 engine, the Raptor R could make more than 700 horsepower easily,
and has been upgraded in other ways too to make it prepared for the new high-power engine. On the front
of the truck, the revised front grille looks larger meaning it can take in more air for the engine.
Additionally, the R has even beefier trailing arms than the already upgraded ones on the newest Raptor,
which means this truck is set up for serious driving performance. With larger brakes expected as well,
the Raptor R should be more streetable as well. While the first generation Raptor was praised as an
off-road champion, it did not perform well on the street and the Raptor R has a chance to be the same
off-road focused setup with more modern refinement for on-road use too. While the reveal of the truck is still a few months away at the earliest, we have a pretty good
understanding of what we can expect from the Raptor R. With the Raptor R being designed as a more
hardcore version of the normal and already aggressive F150 Raptor, its safe to assume that it will be
running performance brakes, especially since it will have to stop nearly 6,000lbs at high speed. While
top speed is not the goal of the Raptor or Raptor R, it could still hit over 150 miles per hour - much
higher than the Ram TRX's 118 miles per hour. The Raptor R also is expected to have a more
performance-oriented interior too, including more aggressive seating and bolstering. It would make sense
also for the rear seats to be buckets as opposed to a bench in order to keep all passengers safer as the
R traverses rough terrain at high speeds. With the R being more racing and performance-oriented, it would not be surprising to see it with a
beefed-up transmission and different gearing to improve the power being placed on the road or other
surfaces. Making the already aggressive drive modes even more power-oriented would make the Raptor R
drive differently than the normal trim would let Ford to make the truck feel seriously special over its
competition. Overall, we expect the Raptor R to be as close to a road-legal trophy truck as can be
mass-produced. Having the V8 finally back in the king of the offroad trucks, the Raptor R is putting all other trucks on
high-alert with it's durability and versatility. With the Raptor competing with the TRX already, the
Raptor R looks to be trying to cement a place for itself at the top of the off-road supertruck market
for as long as it can. With no rivals in sight for the time being, the Raptor R will sit just below
Ford's actual race truck in terms of performance and capability. In creating the Raptor R, Ford has
created what could easily be one of the most impressive performance trucks ever and it could easily hold
the title of most off-road capable pickup truck for a long time. As the Raptor R gets closer to
production as well as the Raptor and other F150 trims, you'll be able to read about it and get your
F-150 Raptor parts here at
Steeda for all of your truck needs!
Image Credit: Ford MediaWhat To Expect From The F-150 Raptor R
2023 F-150 Raptor R: Video
Introducing The Raptor R
F-150 Raptor R - What We Know
F-150 Raptor R - Big News
F-150 Raptor R - What We Expect
Related Articles
