The F-150 Raptor has long been a name to be reckoned with — until RAM rolled out the 2021 1500 TRX. Now, Ford is ready to strike back hard and, during a media preview, it offered up a brief sneak peek at its updated Baja beast, the V-8-powered Raptor R.
The air is filled with the dry, swirling dust of the Johnson Valley desert. Suddenly, a deep roar shakes the very ground we’ve lined up on, as a pickup punches its way through the thick, brown cloud. It’s a grand, Hollywood-style entrance for the new Ford F-150 Raptor R.
The original Raptor was a street-legal version of Ford’s domineering Baja racer, and it was something the competition couldn’t ignore. Not until 2021, anyway, when RAM changed the balance of power, rolling out its monstrous 1500 TRX.
Delivering 702 horsepower and 650 pound-feet of torque, the TRX not only outmuscled the Raptor but also came with a more aggressive suspension that kept it moving fast over even the roughest off-road trails.
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V8 Raptor Once Again
Can’t wait to share more details about F-150 Raptor R later this year. The V8 sounds amazing! #RaptorR pic.twitter.com/qTOxKvp1ll
— Jim Farley (@jimfarley98) June 14, 2022
Now, a year after introducing a makeover of the F-150, Ford is finally ready to up the stakes with the Raptor R. Well, almost ready. The brief preview — which followed a media drive of the new Bronco Raptor — raised more questions than it answered. Ford officials said they won’t be able to offer up details and specs about the R model until later this year.
About the only thing they’re willing to confirm is that the new Raptor R will try to level the playing field by swapping out the 2022 Raptor model’s turbocharged 3.5L V-6 for a V-8. Which eight-banger? The Blue Oval brand isn’t saying. But informed speculation centers around the beefy Predator. That’s the supercharged 5.2L V-8 that powers the Mustang Shelby GT500.
In the pony car, it serves up 760 horsepower and 625 pound-feet of torque. It’s anyone’s guess what it might muster under the hood of the Raptor R.
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Ultimate Off-Road Factory Suspension
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F-150 Raptor Updates
Raptor R Availability & Pricing
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