While Ford Motor Company hasn’t offered up all of the vital details on the 2017 Ford SVT Raptor F-150, we know enough of the basics to peak our interest.
We know that the next Raptor will have a super tuned 3.5L EcoBoost V6 with around 450 horsepower, a 10-speed automatic transmission, a new ultra-high tech four wheel drive system and the same aluminum body panels of the new generation F-150 lineup. Also, we know that the 2017 F-150 Raptor will have unique body bits to make for one great looking and mean looking high performance off-road truck.
However, there are critics who would have rather not seen a new V6, the new 10-speed transmission, the new four wheel drive system or the aluminum body panels on the 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor. Some folks like the look, but they would prefer a V8 and a proven transmission.
Others are concerned that the aluminum body panels will be more likely to dent up when playing in the mud or woods. These people insist that they would rather buy the previous generation Raptor over the new one, and that brings us to our Question of the Week.
Which Ford F-150 Raptor would you rather buy – the 2014 models or the upcoming 2017 models? Click here to head into the forum to tell us what you think!
"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.
"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.
"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.
"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.
"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.
