After two free-breathing V8 engines for the first-generation Raptor, the second coming switched to the 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6. The 2021 model year features a twin-turbo sixer as well, but for some reason or another, Ford hasn’t said how many horsepower and pound-feet it cranks out.
Unfortunately, that’s not a joke. After Ram trolled the Blue Oval to pop the hood of the F-150 Raptor, the Dearborn-based automaker hasn’t even confirmed if the EcoBoost V6 has more to offer than the previous model. On the upside, the Ford Motor Company did confirm the Raptor R for 2022.
What’s a Raptor R? I wish I could answer that question, but once again, Ford is playing hooky with the motoring media and prospective customers alike. The deafening silence doesn’t come as a surprise, but on the upside, we already know that eight cylinders are in the pipeline for the newcomer.
It remains to be seen if the Predator V8 from the Shelby GT500 is the culprit, but I’m willing to bet on it because it’s the only engine that competes directly with the Hellcat 6.2-liter supercharged HEMI V8 of the Ram TRX. As a brief refresher, the most potent Mustang available today belts out a simply incredible 760 horsepower and 625 pound-feet (847 Nm) of torque.
Turning our attention back to the 2021 Ford F-150 Raptor, the Baja-style pickup comes with 35-inch rubber as standard and 37-inch tires as an option. The larger shoes enable 13.1 inches (332 mm) of running clearance, 33.1 degrees of approach angle, 24.9 degrees of departure angle, and 24.4 degrees of breakover angle. As far as the ladder-frame chassis is concerned, the only improvement that matters is the five-link rear suspension.
Exclusively available as a SuperCrew with the 145-inch (3,683-mm) wheelbase, the Raptor is projected to run out of gas after more than 500 miles (805 kilometers) thanks to a 36-gallon (136-liter) fuel tank. Just like the previous generation, the 2021 redesign is available with a Torsen front limited-slip differential that mirrors the 4:10 final drive ratio of the electronic locking rear diff.
When properly equipped, the maximum payload is rated at 1,400 pounds (635 kilograms), while the maximum towing capacity is quoted at 8,200 pounds (3,719 kilograms). Assembled at the Dearborn Truck Plant in Michigan alongside regular F-150s, the all-new Raptor that seems too similar to the old one will be available in showrooms across the nation this summer.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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