Truck Front
Once again, Ford is providing us with their heavy duty Raptor, which is the ultimate driving experience in the dirt.
Text and photos by Chad Haire
Price
Here is the price sheet, showing all the factory-installed goodies that transform a basic F150 transportation truck into an off-road beast. Because this particular truck shown is for executive or press use only, it is not for sale and has no price listed. But with all these options, the tab will climb from a base of $65K to about $81K as seen here. After a week of driving, we thought it is certainly worth the money. There is no way you could build this yourself cheaper.
>>Join the conversation about the 2021 F-150 Raptor right here in Ford-trucks.com.
Engine
Under the hood is a massaged 3.5 liter EcoBoost bumped up to 450 horsepower, and 510 lbs./ft. of torque at 3,500 rpm. It is hooked to a new 10-speed gearbox, with manual paddle shifters. An upgraded higher performance motor is due soon, with a claimed horsepower rating of over 700. It is meant to compete with the RAM TRX truck, with the 703 horsepower engine.
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Tires
With the standard 35-inch wheels, the fuel economy rating is 15/18 mpg. But move up to these heavy 37-inch tires, the rating drops to 15/16 mpg.
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Economy
In the real world, gas mileage ranged between 11-15 mpg. After 988 test miles, we observed 13.1 overall. While standard unleaded blend will work, super-premium works better for hard use. But at a current $4 a gallon in our city, this burned a hole in the wallet!
>>Join the conversation about the 2021 F-150 Raptor right here in Ford-trucks.com.
Gas Tank
The four-door Raptor comes with a 36-gallon tank so that $150 fill-up should get you far. But the two-door versions have a smaller 26-gallon listing that cuts the overall range.
>>Join the conversation about the 2021 F-150 Raptor right here in Ford-trucks.com.
Mode Selector
There in 4x4 high or low gearing for the dirt, or 4A for all-wheel traction on wet pavement. Locking differential offers more traction when the going gets rough. This knob also controls drives modes such as Normal, Sand, Mud and Snow or the rugged Baja setting.
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Spare Tire
It's nice to know you get a really huge spare tire, but these monster units are heavy. Changing a tire is no fun, so bring a friend to do it.
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Ground Clearance
The larger tires raise ground clearance from 12 to 13 inches, which is great for avoiding rocks on the path. This plus the width of the vehicle allows some excellent off-road abilities. But keep in mind the latter may be a disadvantage when attempting to navigate skinny mule trails or fit through narrow ranch gates.
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POV
The driver’s position is sitting up high, and very comfortable. The suspension has plenty of travel, and soaks up impacts like a sponge. On rugged trails, you can drive the Raptor at speeds that would destroy a conventional truck. That is what we are paying for, and it's worth every penny.
>>Join the conversation about the 2021 F-150 Raptor right here in Ford-trucks.com.
Steps
With the high ground clearance, these pull-out steps sure come in handy for loading gear in the bed.
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Shift Lever
One interesting option is a power-operated shift lever that folds away at a push of a button. The idea is this makes room to put a notepad, laptop computer, or your lunch bucket on the platform. It is an interesting idea, but a better solution that makes room would be to switch to a gear shifter rotary knob on the dash like other brands have done. Plus there is the nagging worry of what happens should the electric motor fail, locking the knob in the down position.
>>Join the conversation about the 2021 F-150 Raptor right here in Ford-trucks.com.
Truck Rear
The Raptor is a fantastic truck. It costs a lot to buy and is not cheap to feed, but a great experience if you can afford one.
>>Join the conversation about the 2021 F-150 Raptor right here in Ford-trucks.com.
For help with your maintenance and repair projects, please visit our how-to section in the forum.
