EcoBoost SchmEcoBoost: Hennessey VelociRaptor V8 Lays Down 557 RWHP

Given these circumstances, there are two ways to get eight cylinders in an F-150 Raptor. You could either opt for the Boss V8 in the previous generation or call up Hennessey Performance Engineering. The Texas-based tuner has something called the VelociRaptor V8, and as the name implies, it is the second generation of the off-road workhorse with a thumpin’ great Coyote.

These days, the adage “no replacement for displacement” doesn’t cut it anymore because turbocharging technologies are more complex and better than ever. But Hennessey took a different approach with the VelociRaptor V8, strapping a 2.9-liter supercharger onto the engine.

At the crankshaft, the full-size pickup develops 758 horsepower. Strap the VelociRaptor V8 to the dyno, and you’ll get 557 horsepower at the rear wheels. Torque is rated at 449 pound-feet, also at the rear wheels. Given these figures, can’t Ford do something about the F-150 Raptor? The 5.2-liter Predator V8 from the Shelby GT500 sounds like the perfect candidate, even if such a rig would be offered in limited numbers.

The VelociRaptor V8, for example, is limited to 100 examples for the 2019 model year, each starting at $147,950 including the F-150 Raptor. More to the point, prepare to pony up $95k for the conversion from six to eight cylinders.

In addition to the suck-squeeze-bang-blow, the VelociRaptor V8 also includes a 6.0-inch lift kit, LED lighting, exclusive bumpers front and rear, 20-inch alloy wheels, 37-inch tires, Hennessey and HPE badging, embroidered headrests, and two plaques: one for the engine and in the cabin. Better still, the advertised price comes with three years or 36,000 miles of warranty, whichever of the two comes first.