Ford’s Special Vehicle Team (SVT) introduced its F-150 Raptor 4×4 trucks back in 2010. Then Ram went full Jurassic with its Hellcat-powered 1500 TRX. While Ford’s SVT had already transitioned the Raptor to a turbocharged V6, the company decided to bring back a V8 Raptor to compete with the TRX. The result was the supercharged Raptor R.
The F-150 Raptor already had its V8 phase
2022 Ford F-150 Raptor | Ford Motor Company
The first generation of Ford’s F-150 Raptor featured a 6.2-liter “Boss” V8. Ford actually engineered this naturally-aspirated V8 just for the Raptor, later introducing it to its Super Duty truck lineup. In the Raptor, the Boss 6.2 made 500 horsepower.
But many off-roaders prefer lightweight powerplants to absolute top horsepower. For this reason, SVT transitioned to the 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged “EcoBoost” V6 for the F-150 Raptor’s second generation.
Many V8 fans were shocked by Ford’s choice to put a V6 in its flag-ship pickup truck. But this engine choice and other engineering decisions dropped the second Raptor’s weight by 500 pounds. Not only did the V6 make 510 lb-ft of torque, but its ten-speed transmission made sure it could put this power to the tires efficiently.
As the V6 Raptor gained popularity, many came to accept it as a step into the future. Little did Ford know that the market had other plans.
Keyword: The Ram 1500 TRX Dragged The Raptor Back To The Dinosaur Age