2023 Ford F-150 Raptor R Horsepower Revealed From Wild Supercharged V8
Ford has taken the wraps off the F-150 Raptor R, bringing the power of a V8 supercharged engine to its well-received truck. Touted as the most powerful F-150 Raptor Ford has ever made, the new avatar of Ford's pickup is now available for pre-order, and production is slated to begin later in 2022. Unfortunately, Ford hasn't said a word about the asking price, but given the assembly schedule, it will still have an edge in road appearance compared to the Tesla Cybertruck that's slated to enter production in 2023.
Ford
The 5.2-liter supercharged V8 unit — tuned at Ford's Dearborn facility — can muster 700 raw horsepower and delivers 640 lb-ft torque; that's a hefty upgrade from the 450 horsepower and the 510 lb-ft torque figures of the standard Raptor. The automaker has also made a few tweaks to the air intake system to achieve a 66% higher air volume compared to that of the base Raptor.
The V8-powered machine is an all-black affair inside and outside, as Ford has coated everything from the bumpers and cladding to the interiors with a dark paint job. There's also some desert-inspired sticker styling around the Raptor R branding to set it apart. To further distinguish the model, Ford has extended the power dome's profile and made it a bit taller, adding an extra inch of height compared to the regular Raptor. The automaker has also added a new driver-controlled exhaust system that will let buyers tone down — or fully unleash — the engine noise.
One for the V8 stans
Ford is also using a custom engine oil cooler and supercharger air cooler on the Raptor R to boost its off-roading chops. Notably, this is the same engine that was fitted inside the Mustang Shelby GT500; it was customized for the Raptor R to make it the most torque-dense supercharged V8 unit in the company's portfolio. Ford says it upgraded the standard model's transmission and driveline for its latest offering, as well, giving it a 10-speed SelectShift transmission with more precise calibration.
The company has also fine-tuned the Baja mode to take the truck's off-roading skills to the next level. The ground clearance numbers stand at an impressive 13.1-inches, while 37-inch wheels exclusive to the class push it forward. Inside the cabin is a 12-inch SYNC 4-ready touchscreen console that is compatible with both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Ford will offer the F-150 Raptor R in two fresh colors — Avalanche and Azure Gray — in addition to six other shades standard for the lineup.
Ford
While the interiors have received a design makeover, nothing has changed in terms of headroom, cargo, volume, available legroom, or max payload numbers compared to the standard F-150 Raptor. However, the peak conventional towing capacity for the Raptor R is 8,700 pounds, up from the 8,200-pound limit on its V6-powered sibling. Ford hasn't revealed any EPA estimates for fuel efficiency yet, but if the 2022 Raptor decked with 37-inch tires is any indication, the numbers will be lower than 14 mpg.