Since Ram launched his 702 horsepower TRX off-road pickup, it has been at the top of the fast truck hierarchy. This place has been occupied by Ford for years with its Raptor F-150, but in comparison, its 450 hp EcoBoost V6 cannot resist Ram’s Hellcat V8. The Blue Oval is trying to fix this with the revelation of its next generation Raptor, which we will officially see in full on February 3, Ford confirmed.
Reporting Car and driver claim that two separate models are on the way – the normal-but-still-hot Raptor and an even more capable Raptor R. The latter is suspected of obtaining a version of the supercharged 5.2-liter V8 Predator, which is currently called the Mustang Shelby GT500 home. It produces 760 hp in that specification, although it is possible that the alleged Raptor R could be slightly out of place.
We speculated in previous reports that the 3.5-liter twin-turbo EcoBoost might return with the Raptor 2021, although later videos seemed to reveal a strong grunt from the V8. With the supposed news that two different variants are part of Ford’s launch plan, it certainly seems possible that we were right in both cases. Regardless, don’t expect Ford to give up Ram’s challenge – you can bet they want to make those Easter eggs look silly and dated.
After the details of the power train, the 2021 Raptor seems destined to feature a helical spring suspension in all four corners. Like the Ram, then, it must be provided for even higher travel speeds, with leading edge travel and stability. We wouldn’t go from Ford to match the Ram TRX’s 35-inch tires and, on the supposed Raptor R, 37-inch off-road vehicles could appear. Perhaps it is an illusion, but we will continue.
In any case, we will be looking for more details before the super truck debuts on February 3rd. Tune into Ford’s social media channels at 11am ET to watch and click The Drive for full coverage.
Have a tip on the Ford Raptor 2021? Send us a note: [email protected]. Or send an email to the author: [email protected]