The Ford Raptor sits at the top of Ford’s bakkie pecking order…or at least it did. Ford decided to inject an unnecessary amount of power into the Raptor DNA, which resulted in the firm’s most powerful production bakkie it’s ever created. Take a second to wrap your mind around the unbelievable 2022 Ford F-150 Raptor R.
Less is more…well not always. Ford decided that what the Raptor needed was a heart transplant and thought that the supercharged 5.2-litre V8 from the GT500 would be perfect. They weren’t wrong. A few tweaks to the motor included a new pulley to improve low-end torque, a forged steel cross-plane crankshaft as well as forged aluminium pistons, stainless steel exhaust headers and a few other touches here and there.
All those added goodies resulted in the Raptor R possessing a heart capable of producing a heart-beat elevating 520 kW and 867 N.m! The engine is mated to the 10-speed SeamlessShift transmission recalibrated to suit harsh off-road driving. It’s not just all bite though, there’s also some serious bark.
The Raptor R has a special dual-exhaust system equipped with a pass-through muffler and an active valve system. The exhaust has four preset modes: Normal, Sport, Quiet and Baja.
It’s a big bakkie with a lot of power, that can handle off-roading to a level akin to that of the Baja 1000 monsters. Ford’s extensive experience in building Baja cars has to be used to ensure that although the Raptor R has a larger engine, it’s still a capable off-roader.
To maintain its domineering presence in the roughest terrains, the Raptor R has extended trailing arms coupled to its five-link rear suspension alongside Panhard 24-inch coil springs.
Retaining the FOX Live Valve shocks, which are equipped with height sensors able to make millisecond decisions to ensure optimum ride quality and suspension characteristics on and off-road. Receiving all that power is a set of 37-Inch tires which make quick work of almost any obstacles you might come across.
“Raptor R is visually designed like a desert predator to catch the attention of Raptor customers and off-road enthusiasts. There are details big and small – from the more aggressive hood air extractor to the Code Orange ‘R’ badges – that visually communicate next level off-road performance under the Raptor R banner.”
The Raptor R is available in eight color choices and production is scheduled to begin later this year at the Dearborn Truck Plant in the US.