It may be built for other activities, but the Raptor R is still a truck.
Tough Test
Much ado has been made about the all-new 2023 Ford F-150 Raptor R, which represents the return of V8 power to that high-performance off-roader for the first time since the demise of the first-gen model years ago. With a six-figure price tag and 700 horsepower on tap, this is obviously a machine that's built to go fast, but it's also still a truck, meaning that one can tow with it. And that's precisely why The Fast Lane Truck recently subjected their Raptor R to the "world's toughest towing test," or the Ike Gauntlet, as it's otherwise known.
Big Sag
Though it rides on a soft, highly advanced suspension setup with a five-link rear and coilovers versus traditional leaf springs, the Raptor R is still rated to tow up to 8,700 pounds, which is pretty impressive. For this test, TFLT hooked it up to a trailer carrying a Jeep Wrangler JK AEV Edition for a total of 8,300 pounds, and right off the bat, it's notable that the truck's rear end sagged by a significant 3.5 inches - thanks to its soft settings, of course.
Big Challenge
Undaunted, the team set off to tackle the Ike, which is an eight-mile stretch of Interstate 70 in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado with a steep seven percent grade, one that also reaches elevations of 11,158 feet above sea level - a tough test for any vehicle, let alone one towing a heavy load behind it.
Costly Journey
As one might imagine, the Raptor R had no trouble ascending this incline, and it took just 9 seconds for it to accelerate from 30-60 mph coming off the on-ramp. It took around 8 minutes to reach the top, though it wasn't exactly an inexpensive endeavor to get there - the Raptor R averaged a mere 3.2 mpg on the way up.
Coming Down
Coming down the mountain, the Raptor R performed flawlessly, requiring only one application of the brake on this steep grade, while many others that have taken this same test need anywhere from 4-10 to make it down. Clearly, this is great for the truck's brakes, particularly for those that plan on towing down steep grades on a regular basis.
Improved Economy
Fuel economy also improved significantly thanks to this performance, as one might imagine, coming in at an average of 7.6 mpg across a total of 170 miles.
Impressive Performance
Ultimately, the Raptor R scored an impressive 4.2 out of 5 on the Ike Gauntlet test, which is a solid performance for any vehicle, let alone one that's designed to blast across the desert at high speed - not necessarily tow heavy loads for a living. It's unlikely that most Raptor R owners will ever tow anything with them, of course, but it's also nice to know that they can if they want to.
>>Join the conversation about the Raptor R's towing capability right here in the forum.
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