FRONT
The Raptor has been a successful seller for Ford dealers. It has all the equipment needed for serious off-road adventures. While its standard 3.5 V6 turbo engine has enough pulling ability at 450 horsepower, there are those who want more. This is especially true when looking at the competition, such as the RAM TRX with its supercharged Hellcat 702 horsepower motor. This upgraded Raptor R model takes care of that.
ENGINE
Look under the hood, and we see a 5.2-liter supercharged motor borrowed from the Ford Mustang GT500. With 700 horsepower, and a stump-pulling 640 lbs./ft. of torque, this three-ton truck can be propelled from 0-60 mph in the claimed 3.7 seconds. Fuel economy is listed at 10 mpg city, 12 combined, and 15 on highway. We took this truck out for a week to see if these figures are true.
TIRES/WHEELS
The standard Raptor is issued with 35-inch wheels. This R version gets giant 37-inchers standard. There is also a large Raptor R decal posted on the side body so everyone will know you bought the most expensive truck on the lot!
MPG
The EPA claimed fuel economy numbers are very accurate. On highway trips, 15 mpg was the norm cruising at 75 mph. But after being in the fleet for several months, the overall average was just over 10 mpg. This includes a lot of off-road dirt fun. Our 1,533 miles at $5.60 a gallon computes to a tidy $788 worth of fuel sucked up! But we have spent more money in the past on other types of entertainment and got less value.
DRIVE MODES
This large button selects the type of drive mode preferred. It can range from Normal, Sport, Tow, Baja, Off Road, and Slippery. The outer buttons are traditional 4X4 high, 4x4 low, 2-wheel drive, and all-wheel drive for the street. If you are racing this potent truck on pavement, ALWAYS have it in AWD. Failure to do so can result in excessive wheel spin from all that massive power, and loss of control. This is very true if the roads are slick!
SHIFTER #1
The traditional stick shifter is issued, which can get in the way at times. There is a solution to that shown in the next slide.
SHIFTER #2
Press a button, and the shifter folds into the console. It's a neat trick, but what happens if it dies and doesn't come back up? Why not just use a compact rotary shifter like some other truck brands? This system does seem to impress onlookers though, which we suspect was the idea.
CAMERA
The camera system has plenty of views to pick from. Our favorite is the lens that shows what is going on in the rear bed.
HEADLIGHTS
The headlights put out a powerful beam on high or low setting. Press the right button, and the "Active Light" system is available. This causes the headlight assembly to point in the same direction the wheel in being turned. This feature is great for taking tight corners, as it allows the driver to see what is around the next bend. In a vehicle this quick, this is even more important.
BEDLINER
There are not supposed to be any options on the R Raptor, but somehow the stand-alone extra is this bed liner at $595 more. It is not very likely you will find this truck without it.
GROUND CLEARANCE
With those giant 37-inch tires, ground clearance is a generous 13 inches. The wide track provides excellent stability. Adjustable FOX shocks absorb the roughest impacts. This is one serious machine!
OFF ROAD POV
While Ford has done a great job of creating the ultimate F-150 off road adventure truck, there are a few disadvantages. First, that wide body doesn't like to fit in narrow spaces or mule trails. Also, making a U-turn is like maneuvering the Titanic. But after driving many miles in this rig, the driver can adapt.
STREET POV
In spite of the heavy wheels, huge tires, and raised suspension, the highway ride is very comfortable. The wind noise is strangely quiet for such a giant rig. While the 15 mpg isn't very economical, it is still impressive for such a large truck with 700 horsepower.
PRICE
Since this is a V.I.P. truck intended for professional use, and not for sale, the price numbers were missing. But the standard Raptor is about $85K, and this R is $109,205 without the bed liner, or $109,790 with the bed liner. So Why not just make this standard? In any case, the waiting list for this truck is about 8 months last time we checked, so just getting the rig will take some effort, with this coating or not.
REAR
Overall, this is a fantastic truck, and one of the best Fords we have ever driven. This is one market where the USA car industry rules!
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