2017 Ford F-150 Raptor Engine and Transmission Combo in a Rear-Drive Pickup would Create an Incredible Street Truck. Would You Consider One?
The 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor is the most powerful F-150 ever, with the specially-tuned 3.5L EcoBoost engine delivering 450 horsepower and 510lb-ft of torque. When you add in the advanced four-wheel drive system and the new 10-speed automatic transmission, the new Raptor is also the quickest and fastest F-150 since the old SVT Lightning. Finally, thanks to the suspension and wheel/tire combo, the new Raptor is also the most off-road-capable F-150 ever.
Those are all great claims for an F-150 buyer who plans to go off-roading, but for those prospective Raptor buyers who never go off-road and who are attracted strictly by the on-road performance capabilities, a rear-drive package would be far more interesting.
Now, the Raptor is very clearly an off-road package, so we aren’t suggesting that Ford should make a RWD Raptor, but rather, some package for the new F-150 which uses that Raptor engine and transmission in a rear-wheel-drive truck. Essentially, something like the previous generation Ford F-150 Tremor with the Raptor drivetrain (minus the 4WD parts) would make for one incredible sport truck.
Like the old Lightning, a rear-wheel-drive F-150 with good suspension & sticky tires would make for a better sport truck than the high-riding, 4WD Raptor.
Although the Raptor’s 4WD set-up allows the driver to make better use of the available power, the downside of that ability to turn all four wheels adds weight to the truck that hurts on-road performance. Like the old Lightning, a rear-wheel-drive F-150 with good suspension and sticky tires would make for a better sport truck than the high-riding, 4WD Raptor.
For our latest “Question of the Week,” we want to know if you would consider a rear-drive F-150 with the Raptor engine and transmission? If Ford rolled out a new Tremor with the 450hp/510tq EcoBoost V6, the 10-speed automatic transmission and rear-wheel drive, would you consider buying one?
"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.
