Monstrous and All-New
America’s best-selling half-ton pick-up truck remains the Ford F-150. Its popularity comes partly because it can be configured in a multitude of ways–from a basic work truck to a luxurious toy hauler to an extreme off-road machine. Our latest test truck was the latter, representing the best and latest of the high-speed off-road segment.
With its Shelby GT500 supercharged V8 engine, Raptor R rips to 60 mph in 4 seconds flat. The blown eight-cylinder produces 700 horsepower and 640 lb-ft of torque.
It Stands Ready to do Battle with Ram’s 1500 TRX
FORD VS RAM
Both a truck and a toy, Raptor R is made to be the ultimate desert off-roader. But even as a new member of the F-150 family, and like its competition, it’s also rather fancy. It comes with a spacious and intuitive interior layout and all the tech features one could imagine. Ford’s Pro Power Onboard generator system, power up-and-down tailgate and tailgate step are also available. 37-inch tires are standard on the R.
Even so, most would agree that the Raptor R belongs off the asphalt. Our vehicle’s Monroney said “EPA Data Not Available. But we’ve read elsewhere that the 10 mpg city/15 mpg highway estimation with premium fuel required is overstated! Thankfully, Ford gives the Raptor R a 36-gallon fuel tank to help. But nevertheless, it can get through city traffic pretty smoothly with its 10-speed automatic transmission. And you’ll get a lot of heads turning and a few downright fearful looks on the way to find your Raptor R’s home in the dirt. Knowing that Raptor R drivers want to be seen and heard, Ford brings back the sorely missed V8 soundtrack to the R!
Once off-road, the R’s coil-spring rear suspension with trick off-road shock absorbers are undoubtedly up to the task of just about anything. Large windows and a scalloped section in the front door that clears a view around the side mirrors, along with a 360-degree camera system provides much needed visibility all the way around. Switching on the Baja drive mode when you’re off-roading means that you have full access to the forward-facing camera without speed restrictions.
Will Ford Loyalists to Pay the Price?
Our test truck was a Metallic Blue 4×4 Supercrew with 145” wheelbase, sporting Recaro black leather seats inside. Its Monroney also showed no sales price, stating that it was not to be offered for sale. But it’s said that Ford is counting on its loyal customer base to pay at least $30K more than a well-appointed standard Raptor to get the R version. And it remains to be seen whether the Raptor R can best Ram’s comparable TRX that is also priced about the same as the current standard version of the Raptor.
Many Ford brand loyalists consistently and exclusively prefer and support the Ford brand when it comes to purchasing vehicles. They often choose Ford cars, trucks, or SUVs over competing brands, regardless of the specific model or features. So the question is, will the Raptor R’s price be an issue? Or will they want to best Ram no matter what the cost?
