Surprise! The 2017 Raptor is Really Fast
Car & Driver Performs Instrumented Test on 2017 Raptor. Results? Not Exactly Surprising
The question revolving around the 2017 Raptor has never been whether or not it’s fast. The question is, just how fast is it? We’ve seen some unofficial 0-60 times obtained via onboard timers and such. But in reality, we’ve all been waiting for some real, instrumented test results from reputable sources. That day has come! Auto industry bible Car & Driver recently strapped its equipment to a new Raptor and headed to the desert.
Clearly, the new Raptor makes for an amazing off road vehicle. In Baja mode, the truck seemingly hovers over rocks and other small obstacles, providing a surprisingly comfortable ride. The truck and the electronics do most of the work, instantly turning anyone into a budding off-road racer. Or at the very least, a weekend warrior.
The new Raptor may be down two cylinders, but it makes up for that everywhere else.
That’s all well and good, but the real question lies in how the V6 motivates the 5,696-pound crew cab from a standstill. With 450 horsepower and 510 lb-ft of torque, the answer is, well, pretty amazing. C&D achieved a best 0-60 time of 5.0 seconds flat. The quarter mile flashed by in 13.7 seconds at 100 miles per hour.
The new Raptor may be down two cylinders, but it makes up for that everywhere else. It’s up 39 horsepower and 76 lb-ft of torque over the previous generation. It’s also a considerable 404 pounds lighter. C&D tested the old Raptor in 2013 and achieved a 0-60 time of 6.7 seconds, with a 1/4 mile best of 15.3 seconds. That, folks, is what we call progress.
To put things in perspective, the 1995 Mustang Cobra R went 0-60 in 5.1 seconds and did the quarter in 13.6. Heck, you can outrun almost any muscle car that hasn’t been built in the last few years in this thing. We all knew that the new Raptor was going to be fast, but it’s exceeded all expectations in that department.
