Almost a year after Ford introduced the China-spec F-150 Raptor SuperCrew, the dune-bashing pickup is now en route to the People’s Republic. Prices aren’t available yet, but it won’t be cheap.
Take the Mustang Fastback EcoBoost as a case in point. In China, pricing starts from 399,800 yuan, which equates to approximately $58,160 at current exchange rates. The V8-powered V8 kicks off from 699,000 yuan ($101,685). One reason imported cars cost so much in the People’s Republic is taxation.
It’s rather clear, then, that the F-150 Raptor will be pitched as a luxury model to Chinese customers. On a different note, Ford highlights that the F-150 Raptor is the first U.S.-made F-Series pickup to be officially exported to China.
“Ford is one of America’s top exporters, and F-150 Raptor’s appeal and unmatched off-road performance has earned the truck a loyal following around the globe,” explains Joe Hinrichs, Ford president of The Americas. “Export to China enables us to bring a new group of enthusiasts into the Ford family,” and I must say I’m not exactly surprised by Hinrichs' claim.
With an economy that grew by 6.7 percent in 2016, the People’s Republic of China is ranked world’s second-biggest importer of goods and commercial services. And with 568 billionaires versus the U.S.’ 535, the Chinese also have plenty of money to burn. Millionaires are also growing at a faster rate than in the U.S., so there you have it. If analysts are to be believed, China will soon overtake the U.S.’ economy. How soon? By the year 2020, apparently.
It should be underlined that China only gets the SuperCrew model, whereas North American customers can opt for the SuperCab body style as well. The F-150 Raptor is just one of more than 12 new performance vehicles coming by 2020. Considering that the GT supercar, Focus RS hot hatchback, and Shelby GT350 Mustang siblings are amongst those 12 performance-oriented vehicles, the Ford Motor Company's count is less than halfway through.
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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