Blending together style and sick mods, the Ford Raptor has somehow brought near universal consensus to the contentious truck debate. When asked why, the responses vary– looks, power, capability, it’s a FORD. The popularity has grown to such mythical proportions that truck fanatics have been waiting for years for a successor.
Today, that wish was granted.
Debuting at the North American International Auto Show, the new Raptor doubled down on it’s beast mode reputation by showcasing a powerful, more efficient version of the infamous truck. In total, the truck has shed approximately 500 pounds from the curb weight (!!) most of which can be contributed to the F-150’s new aluminum bodied design.
“When we created the first Raptor, we set out to prove vehicle performance isn’t just measured on the street or at the track – off-road can be even more fun,” said Raj Nair, Ford group vice president, Global Product Development. “The original Raptor, plus enhancements on the all-new F-150 set the bar for us to make the all-new Raptor better in every way.”
Another big change coming with the new Raptor is its transition to a 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6, which has been paired with a new 10 speed automatic transmission. Ford has yet to release the official numbers, but everyone is expecting more power than the former V8 engine (which cranked out 411 horsepower and 434 pound-feet of torque).
Of course, if that isn’t enough for you, the Raptor is still including a series of different driving modes that include settings for: Normal driving, Street driving, Weather mode (rain or snow), Mud and Sand mode, Baja mode, and Rock mode.
In addition to that, the Raptor, as expected, features a custom suspension job (Fox Racing Shocks), BF Goodrich All-Terrain KO2 tires, and a combination of LED lighting and camera technology to enhance visibility out on the trails. Basically, it’s a can’t miss truck that doesn’t disappoint one bit.
4Wheel Online Blog - Automotive News 