Who Did you know that super trucks would become something like this? We are definitely in a golden age of horsepower with the increase in the number of extremely fast cars. But not too long ago, if you wanted a truck with an extremely high horsepower rating, you had to go to a niche tuner like Hennessey or Shelby for a build that fits your needs. The original Raptor that debuted over a decade ago started the itch for more powerful trucks, but it didn’t deliver these absolutely insane horsepower numbers.
When the Ram TRX came on the scene, everything changed. Its 702-horsepower Hellcat V8 completely outclassed the Raptors’ paltry 450-horsepower V6. The TRX has had a lot of good press and there are a lot of fans that are now part of the TRX team. of course, Ford I couldn’t stand this for long. After all, the brand had been at the top of the trucking food chain for so long, so it couldn’t give up so easily. That’s how the Raptor R comes in. It doesn’t mess around with any small V6, but it also rises to the occasion with a supercharged V8. It may be two years late, but the 2023 Ford F-150 Raptor R he’s here, and he wants his crown back.
Here’s everything we’ve learned about Ford’s latest addition to the Raptor family.
The new Ford F-150 Raptor R: size is everything
today so many internal combustion engines they are moving at smaller displacements. Ford even did this when going from the first Raptor to the second generation. The V8 found in the first iteration gave way to a twin-turbocharged V6 for the second-generation Raptor, much to the chagrin of many enthusiasts. Now, Ford has repented of his sins and realized that they will be left behind if they don’t have a glorious V8 to grace the pinnacle of their Raptor lineup.
So that’s exactly what Ford did. The brand looked to the most viable V8 candidate in its lineup, which naturally was the Predator V8 found under the hood of the Shelby GT500. Fortunately, it does the job beautifully. In the Raptor R, it is it produces 700 horsepower and 640 pound-feet of torque. Some aspects of this powertrain had to be adjusted to better suit the Raptor R. This included a new supercharger pulley that is specialized to deliver more off-road power. This setting gives the Raptor a lower-mid torque delivery.
More power also means more air intake. Ford included a new air intake system that allows the Raptor R to take in two-thirds more air than before. To give the Raptor R a larger, “in charge” presence, Ford also included a prominent hood scoop.
The new Ford F-150 Raptor R still faces an uphill battle
The F-150 Raptor R is without a doubt a very compelling truck. But there is still a lot to prove that he has to do to be crowned the best truck. You have competitors coming from all angles. Of course, its closest competitor is the Ram TRX, and technically the TRX makes more power than the Raptor R. It makes two more horsepower and ten more pound-feet of torque. Ram definitely hasn’t let Ford forget this, as they were quick to take to Twitter after the Raptor R was announced to proclaim that I still have the best V8 power in its class.
There is also the entire electric truck segment that is growing at a rapid rate. Do you have competitors like the GMC Hummer EV pickup that have 1000 horsepower and a blistering speed of 0-60 mph. The Rivian R1T has up to 835 horsepower and is priced close to what we think the Raptor R might cost. Automakers in the truck market are vying to have the most powerful offering out there. It begs the question of where the Raptor R will fit in.
Overall, the F-150 Raptor R appears to be a very impressive truck. It gives us a soulful V8 engine and the power that catapults this truck into the big leagues. It takes everything that made the standard Raptor great, and Ford just made it better. Returning to its roots, the Predator V8 gives Raptor enthusiasts something to get excited about again. He has his work cut out for him with the other very convincing trucks that are already out or on the horizon. But if Ford has shown anything, it’s that they know trucks. They have been in the performance truck business from the very beginning. We have a good feeling that the Raptor R will be able to hold its own.
