F-150 Raptor R: Behold the V8 Raptor Ford Fans Demanded (Is It Worth $109K??)
With 700 horsepower and 640 ft.-lbs. of torque, the 2023 Ford F-150 Raptor R is effectively a third-gen Raptor 37 with a GT500 engine!
Alrighty folks, Michael here from the Ford Truck Enthusiasts editorial team with the Raptor news and first impressions we’ve all been waiting to hear. Raptor R. It’s coming for 2023 with a variation of the Shelby GT500’s Predator V8 under the hood.
Before we dive into all the specs and features, have a listen to THIS —
A symphony for our ears. Ford’s most insane truck made perfect.
The basic recipe is simple. Ford Performance started with the third-gen Raptor 37 Package — which we reviewed and adored earlier this year despite the engine note — and swapped out its front axle and High-Output 3.5L EcoBoost V6 for a…
700 horsepower 5.2L supercharged V8. #MURCA
Unfamiliar with Ford’s Coyote-era 5.2L V8? Here’s a quick history lesson. The 5.2 debuted in the Shelby GT350 with a flat-plane crankshaft making 526 naturally aspirated horsepower at 7,500 RPM. For the GT500, Ford engineers strengthened the block, swapped in a CROSS-plane crankshaft, and added a supercharger to the mix for a potent 760 peak ponies at 7,300 RPM.
For the three-ton Raptor R, Ford Performance wanted more low-end torque. So the engineers revised the supercharger pulley ratios and recalibrated the 2.65L supercharger (making 12PSI) to produce 640 ft.-lbs. of peak torque at 4,250 RPM. For reference, that’s 25 more ft.-lbs. than the GT500, arriving 750 RPMs sooner.
For context, this is a pretty standard Ford move — Mustangs typically scream to the heavens for peak horsepower while F-150s sacrifice peak power for more torque sooner.
The other Raptor R 5.2L theme is DURABILITY. To that end, Ford Performance added cast stainless steel exhaust manifolds, a Raptor-R-specific damper, a unique oil cooler and filter, and a deeper oil pan to handle extreme driving over rugged, angled, and unforgiving terrain. The R’s air intake also flows 66% more air than the EcoBoost intake.
What do YOU think about the F-150 Raptor R?
Let us know HERE in our forums!
Other Drivetrain Changes
Ford Performance also beefed up the drivetrain with a new aluminum driveshaft and front axle with a “more robust, higher-strength carrier casting and an aluminum- ribbed structural cover to manage the powertrain’s added torque.” Ford also recalibrated the Raptor’s 10R80 10-speed transmission and swapped in a heavy-duty torque converter that’s both smoother and better equipped to transfer the extra torque.
Thanks to these upgrades and the added power, the Raptor R can tow up to 8,700 pounds, 500 more than the base Raptor.
Visuals & Features
Visually speaking, if you need to tell the difference between a base Raptor and the Raptor R, look for the Cod Orange R badging. Outside, you’ll find them on the grille, the hood’s “power dome” which also acts as a functional heat extractor, and the rear-fender sticker package, which is also unique. Important to note that, other than the grille, you won’t see stand-alone Rs nor “Raptor R” written anywhere. Instead, designers elected to add a Code Orange R to the Raptor logos. I really like this choice; it’s cleaner.
Ford also changed the wheel color(s). In place of the Magnetic (gray), we have 17×8.5-inch Matte Black forged aluminum beadlock-capable wheels with a Magnetic paint ring (or an optional Code Orange ring). Tires remain the same, the beastly L37x12.50R17LT BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2.
Inside, Raptor R trades the 37 Package blue interior for a menacing mix of black leather, Alcantara, Raptor logos with Code Orange Rs, and a unique tri-axial carbon fiber weave. The amazing heated-and-ventilated Recaro seats are standard.
For the most part, the Raptor R is all upgrades. But there is one missing option you’ll only find on the base Raptor. 2.0-kilowatt Pro Power Onboard, which allows you to power equipment and small appliances from the truck bed.
Other than those variations, Raptor R is very much a Raptor 37 with an engine swap and a few aesthetic changes. Which is a very good thing given the Raptor 37’s inherent awesomeness. You’re still getting the Fox 3.1 long travel adjustable suspension with Normal, Sport, and Baja modes. Then there’s the tunable true-dual exhaust with Quiet, Normal, Sport, and Baja modes. Other standard features include Trail Turn Assist, Ford Trail Control, Trail 1-Pedal Drive, a 12-inch infotainment screen with SYNC 4, over-the-air updates, and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
Ford plans to offer the Raptor R in eight color options, including Avalanche and Azure Gray Tri-Coat.
The Elephant (Dinosaur?) in the Room
It’s hard to talk F-150 Raptor without mentioning the RAM 1500 TRX (T-Rex, get it???). RAM, of course, stuffed a Hellcat motor into a truck to the tune of 702 horsepower @ 6,100 RPM and 650 ft.-lbs. of torque at 4,800 RPM. In a world where Ford refused to build a V8-powered Raptor, it was a double gut punch of being faster with better sounds.
Given the Raptor R’s power figures, it seems like Ford has decided not to engage in a numbers game. Which is surprising (disappointing?). Name your reaction. Maybe, in a market where the 835hp Rivian R1T already exists, there’s no point in trying to make the second-most powerful performance truck?
There’s a line in Ford’s Raptor R press release that dubs its motor the “most torque-dense supercharged V8 yet in a production pickup.” At first, I thought the marketing department was just trying to claim a win by making big power with a smaller displacement engine. But then I noticed was Ford was hiding in plain sight —
The Raptor R may produce 10 fewer ft.-lbs. of torque, but its 640 ft.-lbs. arrive 550 RPMs earlier.
And then there’s the weight difference. Ford says the Raptor R weights “within 100 pounds” of the 5,886-pound base Raptor 37, so it’s definitely sub-6,000 pounds. I’ve seen a range of RAM TRX curb weights in RAM press materials, ranging from 6,350 to about 6,450 pounds. And Road & Track weighed one at just under 7,000 pounds.
In other words, the Raptor R is AT LEAST 350-450 pounds LIGHTER than the TRX (possibly a LOT lighter) with most of that savings sitting right over the front axle. The Raptor R also boasts more degrees of approach, break-over, and departure angle versus the TRX. And more ground clearance.
In short, although Ford hasn’t released its 0-60 times and they’re taking a “loss” on paper, my guess is that the Raptor R is going to be faster with superior on and off-road handling.
Raptor R Pricing (UPDATED)
Our last bit of news is pricing. As initially reported in Road & Track, the Raptor R will start at $109,145 (including destination & delivery). We confirmed this figure directly with Ford.
Given the Raptor 37’s base pricing of $82,355 (also including d&d), this is a bit of a surprise, but not a massive one. In the original version of this article (written before pricing was announced), we hoped Ford might get closer to the RAM TRX’s max price of $95 grand but assumed we’d be north of $100,000. It seems more carbon fiber, a beefier front axle, and a hand-built supercharged V8 engine aren’t cheap in a world with high inflation and supply-chain constraints. Plus, if you look at Ford’s pricing history with this engine, the Shelby GT500’s base MSRP is about $26 grand more than a Mustang GT Premium with the 402A and Performance packages.
In terms of context, most of the reactions (including R&Ts) are going to focus on the fact that $109,145 is a $36,795 premium over the base Raptor, and $32,265 more than the base RAM TRX. And that’s true. If horsepower-for-dollar is your goal, the TRX remains an amazing value. But those numbers don’t tell the full story because the Raptor 37 isn’t a base Raptor. It’s a performance/luxury variant that costs at least $82,355. And the RAM can be spec’d out to the mid $90 grand range.
So, I think, the better questions to ask are these — is the Raptor R worth a $26,790 premium over the Raptor 37? And is it worth $10,000 to $25,000 more than a similarly-equipped TRX?
First Impressions
The third-get Raptor was already a winner thanks to the way it mixes luxury and performance. Great seats. Incredible suspension. Awesome radio. Even the power levels were good. It just sounded… bad. The Raptor R fixes the problem with a V8 while adding 250 more ponies and 130 ft.-lbs. of torque.
Loud, large, and literally insane, the Raptor R may just be the perfect Raptor if you think it’s worth the premium price.
The only questions remaining are performance stats — along with the inevitable TRX comparisons.
Photos: Ford Motor Company
