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2023 Ford F-150 Raptor R Challenges Ram 1500 TRX With 700 HP, Costs $109,145

Introduced by the 2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500, the 5.2-liter Predator is a force-fed V8 based on the free-breathing Voodoo engine from the Shelby GT350. The switch from flat- to cross-plane crankshaft had to be made in support of the 2.65-liter supercharger, which produces 12 pounds per square inch of boost in the 2023 Ford F-150 Raptor R.
2023 Ford F-150 Raptor R 28 photos
Photo: Ford
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The most powerful combustion-engined truck from the Ford Motor Company is rated at 700 horsepower at 6,650 revolutions per minute and 640 pound-feet (868 Nm) at 4,250 revolutions per minute. The Ram 1500 TRX is the only true rival of the Raptor R at the present moment, and it’s more powerful to boot thanks to 702 horsepower and 650 pound-feet (881 Nm) of torque.

On the upside, Ford lists the force-fed truck at 5,950 pounds (2,699 kilograms). The Hellcat-engined rival is 6,350 pounds (2,880 kilograms), which makes a world of difference on the road and while bashing dunes.

Aside from the better power-to-weight ratio, Ford is rocking larger tires. 37-inch rubber boots from BFGoodrich, to be more precise, the very same All-Terrain T/A KO2s that are optional on the V6-engined Raptor. Both versions feature 13.1 inches of ground clearance, but if you like to geek over the smallest of details, there are some differences under the skin. The most notable comes in the guise of specially-tuned shocks with 5-percent stiffer front springs up front, an obvious change, given the V8 engine’s weight.

Not equipped with a start/stop system, which arguably defeats the purpose of the EcoBoost branding of the lesser sibling, the Raptor R definitely loves high-octane gasoline. We know that it’s equipped with a 36-gallon fuel tank, yet Ford hasn’t published the EPA-estimated gas mileage at press time.

“Raptor R is our ultimate Raptor,”
said Carl Widmann, chief engineer at Ford Performance. “When customers experience Raptor R in the desert and beyond, it will make the hairs on the back of their necks stand up – and they’ll love every second of it.” Customers won’t love the price tag, though. The base sticker price is $109,145, including a painful $1,795 destination freight charge, which is ridiculous in comparison to the TRX’s $80k base price.

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 Download: 2023 Ford F-150 Raptor R specifications (PDF)

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About the author: Mircea Panait
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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.
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