Ford unveils new F-150 Raptor performance pickup, confirms the V-8 model

DETROIT – Ford Motor is increasing the capacity and performance of its high-performance F-150 Raptor pickup, including the addition of a new V-8 engine.

Since debuting in 2009, Raptor has won for Ford and its truck lineup. While it accounts for a small amount of Ford’s 800,000 sales of large pickups, the truck attracts attention and significant profits for the company.

“Beyond being a halo product, which is fantastic, it’s a very strong business for us from a margin perspective, from a money perspective,” said Kumar Galhotra, Ford’s president of America and international markets. He said it was among the “most profitable F-150 vehicles”, citing the Raptor’s pricing, and the company should never reduce the vehicle.

Ford has refused to launch its annual Raptor sales. He said that in the last four years, the pickup has cumulatively surpassed the entire range of Porsche and Chevrolet Corvette sports cars from General Motors. Looking ahead, GM has sold about 83,500 corvettes since 2017.

The raptor is based on the regular Ford F-150 pickup, but loaded with a host of off-road features and performance – from a new five-link suspension system to massive 35- or 37-inch tires. It is also larger than the usual model and has an increasingly distinctive design.

The current Raptor starts at about $ 55,000, but can exceed $ 75,000 with upgrades. Ford has not released prices for the 2021 F-150 Raptor, which will hit showrooms this summer. A new F-150 Raptor “R” with V-8 engine is expected to be available next year.

“I think it’s great for our customers to have that choice,” Galhotra said of the V-8, refusing to discuss further details. “It was a direct response to the needs, desires, demands of our customers … Some of them wanted a higher power version and that’s what we will create for them.”

The V-8 model follows increased competition from Ram Trucks, which last year began producing a high-performance Ram 1500 TRX pickup with the manufacturer’s Hellcat V-8 engine. It is capable of 702 horsepower and a torque of 650 pounds. Its top speed is 118 mph (limited by its off-road tires) and can reach 60 mph in 4.5 seconds.

The new Raptor offers improved off-road equipment and performance, as well as enhanced interior technology. The most notable differences from the previous generation are the new 12-inch cockpits and central control screens. The vehicle is also able to update the features and performance of the car in real time.

The new Raptor will be powered by a 3.5-liter twin-turbo V-6 engine and has four exhaust modes with different noise levels: quiet, normal, sport and Baja. The company refused to release the expected power and torque of the engine. The current Raptor is valued at 450 horsepower and 510 pounds of torque.

“We are very proud of what we have delivered to the exhaust. It is another great example of how we always listen to our customers,” program manager Tony Greco said during a media briefing. “They said they wanted a deeper and more threatening sound from the Raptor’s EcoBoost engine and they would get it.”