When Ford Performance came up with the 2017 F-150 Raptor, the Blue Oval faced an extreme challenge in its attempt to convince the traditional performance pickup clientele that a V6, be it aided by a pair of turbos, is better than a V8. The aftermarket side of the industry was forced to follow suit, which is how we ended up with the monstrous Hennessey-delivered drag race we're here to show you.
This sprinting brawl pits a 2017 Hennessey Velociraptor against the 2014 incarnation of the supped-up truck. Interestingly, each of the bed wielders packs 600 ponies, so this should be a tight race.
Speaking of which, when a YouTuber turned to the comments section of the video to question the results, the Lone Star State developer came up with an appropriate reply.
"We raced them 4 times. all results the same, both were very consistent. We loved the V8 raptors, but we can't deny the performance is better with the 2017s," the Texan company said.
Nevertheless, when comparing the two we must look outside the engine compartment. For one thing, the blown 6.2-liter V8 model works with a six-speed automatic slushbox, whereas the twin-turbo 3.5-liter EcoBoost truck packs Ford's new ten-speed auto.
Then there's the scale footprint difference between the two, with Ford mentioning that the aluminum diet of the new model allows it to be about 500 lbs lighter than the one it replaces.
We couldn't help but add a second clip at the bottom of the page, one that showcases what happens when the two generations of the F-150 Raptor are thrown at each other in stock form.
It's worth noting that the 2017 Raptor featured in the factory trim drag race is a lighter SuperCab model, while the 2014 vehicle is a larger SuperCrew, but the gap between them demonstrates that the like-for-like battle would bring the same conclusion.
As for the decibel side of these drag brawls, the winner is more than obvious...
In his quest to bring you the most impressive automotive creations, Andrei relies on learning as a superpower. There's quite a bit of room in the garage that is this aficionado's heart, so factory-condition classics and widebody contraptions with turbos poking through the hood can peacefully coexist. Full profile
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