The current Ford Raptor has gone over well with the public selling around 35,000 units so far. Safe to say this not your dads Ford F-150 for sure. The Raptor buyer is looking for ultimate performance, that will maybe tow some jet skis or a runabout boat, but not necessarily the grunt work that maybe a typical Ford truck buyer might use their truck for.
Word on the street has been that there will be a smaller displacement EcoBoost engine in the Raptor’s upcoming redesign. This has made many a Raptor loyalist a little nervous that the Raptor will maybe lose some of its, “meanness” or attitude. Fear not Ford faithful as we have seen the future and it is bright for the Raptor model. One look at the numbers will set your mind at ease for sure.
The latest news came straight from Raj Nair, who is Ford’s head of Global Product Development. Nair gave up that the 2017 Raptor will be powered by a 3.5-liter twin-turbo V-6 engine that will produce in the neighborhood of 450 horsepower. Remember the current 6.5 litre behemoth motor puts out 411 horsepower. Smaller engine? Yes. Less power? No way. Obviously the smaller engine will also save on weight which will help with the power to weight ratio. We expect the new Raptor to accelerate quite briskly to say the least.
Like the rest of the new F-150 Ford trucks coming out, the new Raptor will enjoy an aluminum body, which we already know from previous articles on the F-150 is going to save around 700 lbs in total weight. All this weight savings should really be felt and seen in the acceleration numbers and towing capacity as there will be less truck to haul around.
Another piece of technology that will be on the redesigned Raptor will be a four wheel drive/all wheel drive system that should satisfy both types of buyers. The people that want to control when it goes in to 4 wheel drive, and the buyers that want the truck to go into 4 wheel drive when it needs to all by itself.
All this wrapped in a really cool aggressive body, and a list of options that should satisfy even the pickiest buyer, will no doubt bring most truck enthusiasts around to the fact that the new redesigned Ford Raptor will continue to please the very selective high performance truck buyer.
