The future of Ford is performance
Ford Executive Vice President Jim Farley says customers will still want to drive sports cars like the new Mustang Shelby GT500 and Explorer ST even when the market shifts to electric and autonomous vehicles.
The Ford F-150 Raptor may soon become a truly monstrous tuck.
Car and Driver and Ford Authority are both reporting that a V8 version of the high performance off roader is in the works.
The original 2010 Raptor featured V8 engines before Ford turned the second-generation model into a showpiece for its twin-turbocharged Ecoboost V6, which puts out 450 hp and 510 lb-ft of torque.
While that makes it the fastest pickup today, Ram is readying a challenger called the Rebel TRX that could arrive with a 6.2-liter supercharged Hellcat V8 under the hood that’s available in the Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk with 707 hp and with 797 hp in the Dodge Challenger Hellcat Redeye.
(Ram)
To meet the challenge, speculation is that Ford will equip the Raptor with the supercharged 5.2-liter “Predator” V8 from the upcoming 2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500, which the automaker has promised will produce more than 700 hp when it debuts later this year.
Ford also recently took the wraps off a 7.3-liter pushrod V8 codenamed “Godzilla” for its super and medium duty trucks that may be too heavy for a Raptor application and more about torque and towing than horsepower and high speeds … but you never know.
A V8 Raptor already exists in the aftermarket in the form of the Hennessey Performance Velocraptor, which has a 758 hp supercharged V8, but costs $150,000.
The current F-150 is expected to be replaced after the 2021 model year, which would be the perfect time for a super-powered sendoff.
ELECTRIC FORD F-150 SPOTTED WITH INDEPENDENT REAR SUSPENSION:
