Well finally after years of cat and mouse, Ford showed the world the new Raptor R. Yes it has the 5.2L Mustang V-8 with a blower. Like the first 3 generations, it’ a large, air-conditioned Side by Side like the little Polaris Raptor or Razor. It’s plush with Recaro seats, leather and Alcantara suede. Unique tri-axial weave carbon fiber. Oh I forgot 700 horsepower and 640 lb.-ft. of torque from the Mustang Shelby GT500. And FOX live valve shocks, 37 inch tires like the 3rd gen, designed to be a desert runner. Wider than a normal F150, makes it more suited for Moab than our narrow off-road trails in Colorado. Ford Performance upgraded the original engine’s exhaust manifolds to a cast stainless steel design, including a unique oil cooler and filter, plus a deeper oil pan enabling it to tackle aggressive grades while keeping the engine oil cool. To help the engine breathe better, air intake volume is increased 66% via a wider air intake inlet and a higher-flow, higher-efficiency conical air filter. Raptor R delivers a 10-speed SelectShift® transmission with improved calibration. The truck features a new front axle with a more robust, higher-strength carrier casting and an aluminum ribbed structural cover to manage the powertrain’s added torque, as well as a unique larger diameter aluminum driveshaft.
A new, specially tuned torque converter with heavy-duty turbine damper and four-pinion rear output assembly makes the truck even better equipped to transfer torque and provide a smoother powertrain feel when driving both on- and off-road. Drivers get even more control over how their Raptor R expresses its additional power, courtesy of a unique dual exhaust system with a true pass-through muffler and active valve system, with modes for Normal, Sport, Quiet and Baja. These can be adjusted in the MyMode™ feature, allowing drivers to customize multiple settings, including drive, steering, suspension modes and others and save one as a single mode easily accessed with the press of the “R” button on the steering wheel.
The five-link rear suspension from last year’s model, features extra-long trailing arms to better maintain axle position on rough terrain, a Panhard rod and 24-inch coil springs, all optimized for outstanding stability while traversing desert terrain at high speeds. Advanced FOX Live Valve shocks are tuned to balance ride quality and roll control on- and off-road. These electronically controlled dampers use suspension height sensors and other sensors to monitor terrain conditions independently, hundreds of times a second, while adjusting suspension tuning accordingly. Wheel travel of 13 inches in front and 14.1 inches in back facilitates Raptor R’s ability to traverse sand and rocks with outstanding capability. 13.1-inch ground clearance. Sounds like an awesome coyote chaser.
A larger, more aggressively styled power dome on the hood sits nearly 1 inch taller than on the base Raptor, helping extract warm air from underneath. Iconic F O R D grille, bumpers and fender flares painted black underscore its menacing looks. Raptor R comes standard with a suite of smart technology to make off-roading easier. Trail Turn Assist allows drivers to shrink their turning radius on tight turns and go even further off-road. Ford Trail Control™, think cruise control for off-roading lets drivers select a set speed and steer through challenging conditions while the truck handles throttle and braking. Trail 1-Pedal Drive allows customers to control throttle and braking with
just one pedal to make extreme off-roading like rock crawling even easier.
Front suspension configuration independent double-wishbone with coil-over shock and cast aluminum lower control arm. All the fancy specs are from Ford. And you can buy it this fall. Just sell some of your crypto and bitcoin, whatever those are.
