Ford recently took the wraps off their flagship F-150 Raptor pickup truck, the performance/off-road oriented variant of the 2021 F-150. The 2021 iteration of the Raptor packs quite some significant updates on the technological front but still manages to keep its core off-roading DNA intact. In fact, Ford says the new Raptor is the most connected and off-road oriented Raptor ever made.
Ford F-150 Raptor Off-road Prowess
The new Ford F-150 Raptor can trace its roots back to the Baja 1000, one of the toughest off-road races held in Mexico. The new Raptor comes equipped with a five-link rear suspension which allows for some serious articulation. This pickup truck sits on Fox shocks which allow up to 35.56cm of wheel travel at the front and 38.1cm at the rear, the best the Raptor has ever done. Other off-road stats would include a massive ground clearance of 332mm, approach and departure angles of 33.1 degrees and 24.9 degree respectively and a breakover angle of 24.4 degrees.
What's Under The Hood
Under the hood, the new Ford F-150 Raptor is powered by Ford’s 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 petrol engine that comes mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission. Ford has however not announced the power and torque outputs from this engine yet but they did mention that it will be relatively unchanged from the previous-gen model. The older F-150 Raptor produced 450hp and 691Nm of torque from this V6 engine.
Ford has also teased us saying 'more to come in 2022'. That means a V8-powered Raptor, dubbed the Raptor R, will be coming next year. In fact, it will be powered by the fully blown 5.2-litre supercharged V8 motor from the Shelby GT500. So that's something worth really looking forward to.
Also Read : Ford C-SUV Still On Track Despite Ford-Mahindra JV Being Called Off
It Sure Will Turn Heads
In terms of design, there's just one word to describe the Raptor - badass. The presence, stance and size of the F-150 Raptor is simply hard to ignore. The face of the new F-150 Raptor is squarish when compared to the more angular face of the previous-gen model. The basic design is similar to the standard F-150 but this being an off-road/performance focused variant, there are certain key changes.
The bold FORD grille looks daunting and with the iconic amber lights and DRLs, you will not mistake the Raptor for anything else. The new front bumper is obviously 'Built Ford Tough' and it also aids in a better approach angle. In profile, the Raptor can be seen riding quite high, thanks to the off-road spec Fox shocks which make it stand taller than the standard F-150. The huge wheel arches complemented by heavy cladding are filled up with off-road 35-inch tyres, that can be upsized to 37-inches, shod with BF Goodrich TA KO2s tyres. The tailgate at the rear gets a blacked-out applique that helps break visual mass and also looks aggressive.
What About The Interiors?
The interiors of the new Raptor have been completely redone as compared to the previous-gen model. The interiors are actually mostly identical to the new standard F-150 but it additionally gets orange accents and Raptor badging on the seats. It also benefits from two new 12-inch screens, one for the customizable digital instrument cluster and the other is for the infotainment system.
It also receives an all-new steering wheel with aluminium paddle shifters, along with aluminium trim on the doors, instrument panel and centre console. As options, the Raptor can also be specced with carbon fibre interior trim and Recaro seats. It’s also the first time the Raptor is being offered with a connected car suite.
Sadly, for us here in India, we can only dream of such machines on our roads. No, the Ford F-150 Raptor will not make its way to India. Ford however has plans of offering some of their halo products in India - the Focus, Ranger Raptor, facelifted 2021 Mustang, and even the performance-oriented Focus ST - under the 2500-import rule.
Stay to tuned to IndianAutosBlog.com for the latest Ford updates and other four-wheeler news.
