In production since 2009 for the 2010 model year, the F-150 Raptor was never offered with a single cab. From 2021 onwards, the Ford Motor Company also discontinued the 2+2 extended cab due to its abysmal take-up rate compared to the crew cab. Even so, that didn't stop a Houston-based company from doing what Ford refused to do in these past 14 years.
Enter PaxPower, a company founded in 2018 with the sole purpose of building the trucks the OEMs won't. Think Ranger Raptor conversions before the Ranger Raptor launched in the United States for 2024, a supercharger kit for the 6.2-liter small block in the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra, and F-150 Raptor conversions with the 5.0-liter Coyote, 3.5-liter PowerBoost, and 3.0-liter Power Stroke turbo diesel.
These guys mean business, and their high-quality work has been recognized by customers from thousands of miles outside of the United States of America. The single-cabbed Raptors in the featured clip, for example, were specially ordered by the folks at Al Jazirah, namely the first Ford dealer in Saudi Arabia.
Why Saudi Arabia and Ford, though?
To put it bluntly, Ford vehicles entered the mainstream in the 1940s due to Saudi Aramco. Even though Ford new vehicle deliveries totaled 20,550 last year in Saudi Arabia, this brand still is held in high regard in the Kingdom ruled by Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. To whom it may concern, Toyota and – get this – Hyundai ranked first and second last year, with 197,577 and 89,015 new vehicle sales to their names.
Turning our attention back to the Ford F-150 Raptor Single Cab, these hi-po overlanders are based on XLTs optioned with 4x4 and the 5.0-liter Coyote. Said configuration retails at $50K or thereabouts. Unfortunately for prospective customers, PaxPower hasn't offered an estimate for their oh-so-badass conversion.
Photo: PaxPower on YouTube
First things first, PaxPower co-owner Benjamin Norrell says that a single-cabbed Raptor weighs just around 1,700 pounds (make that 771 kilograms) less than a bone-stock Raptor R crew cab. Less weight means better performance in a straight line, in the twisties, and off the beaten path as well.
Truly a Raptor from the doors forward, the conversion further sweetens the deal with Method wheels, 37-inch tires, and OEM suspension bits and pieces à la the real thing. Fox Live Valve shocks included, yes! If you thought that PaxPower left the interior untouched, think again. From the Raptor steering wheel to Raptor seat covers and more upper foam, it definitely feels different from a bog-standard XLT.
Mustang-style racing stripes, a Borla exhaust system with black-painted tips, crew cab side steps shortened for this application, and a body-color bed cover specc'd by Al Jazirah also need to be mentioned. From the standpoint of the oily bits, the most important piece of the puzzle is – of course – that engine.
Rated by FoMoCo at 400 horsepower, the DOHC 5.0-liter Coyote V8 now makes 775 horsepower due to the addition of a supercharger. PaxPower uses a 3.0-liter Whipple Stage 2, a blower that costs in excess of $9K at the moment of reporting. Further beautified with Addictive Desert Designs front and rear bumpers, the Ford F-150 Raptor Single Cab from PaxPower ticks all the right boxes, and then some!
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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