2023 Ford Raptor R Packs 700 HP From the Shelby GT500’s Supercharged V8
Photo: Ford
Ford is clearly tired of hearing the question “where’s the V8?” in the new Raptor. They’ve finally got an answer for us: the new 700 horsepower Raptor R. It’s the most powerful F-150 ever and promises to be a menace to every highway passing lane in the United States.
People have been clamoring for the return of the V8 Raptor since it went away for the second generation. It got even worse when Ram introduced the bonkers TRX.
The Ford F-150 Raptor R Under The Hood
Now it’s back with a bang. Here’s the stuff you want to know: It’s got a modified 5.2-liter supercharged V8 borrowed from the Mustang Shelby GT500, 700 horsepower, 640 lb-ft of torque and negative miles per gallon.
That’s an insane 56 percent power increase over the standard Raptor with its 450 horsepower turbocharged V6. To make room for the massive V8, engineers raised the Raptor R’s hood “power dome” by an inch.
Photo: Ford
To make the Raptor R’s V8 ready for this rough and tumble application, Ford recalibrated the supercharger and installed a new pulley. That increased low-end and mid-range torque, which is what you want when you’re trying to get out of something deep. Because of this, it’s got 60 fewer horsepower than the GT500, but 15 more lb-ft of torque.
Other Changes For The Raptor R
On top of this, the original exhaust manifolds were swapped out for cast stainless steel components. The air intake also grew by 66 percent and Ford added a bigger oil cooler and deeper oil pan.
Don’t worry though, Ford didn’t just stick this massive engine into the Raptor and call it a day. All sorts of upgrades were made to the chassis and drivetrain.
Photo: Ford
As standard, the Raptor R gets the Raptor’s 37-inch BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2 tires. Wheel travel measures 13 inches at the front and 14.1 at the rear. You can thank Fox Live Valve shocks for that. While they were at it, Ford engineers bumped up spring rates in the front by 5 percent to keep ride quality consistent with the base Raptor.
The 10-speed automatic gets a new heavy-duty torque converter and recalibrations to deal with the extra power. There are also alterations to the front axle’s casting. It’s more robust now. Connecting to it is a beefier aluminum drive shaft.
The Raptor R’s Styling Changes
Other than the power bulge on the hood and bigger standard, there isn’t too much difference between the standard Raptor and the Raptor R on the outside. However, it does come with a unique graphic package letting the peons around you know that you stepped up to the R.
Photo: Ford
Much like the exterior, the interior isn’t terribly different from the standard Raptor. You’ve got leather, Alcantara and carbon fiber pretty much everywhere. This rig also comes with an “R” button on the steering wheel for added buffoonery that’ll allow drivers to quickly go into their specifically set up drive mode. Oh, and of course you get R badges.
Raptor R Pricing
The order books are open, pricing hasn’t been announced for the Raptor R yet, but expect it to cost the better part of $100,000 if you consider the fact the standard Raptor starts at $72,350 including destination. The Raptor R’s closest competitor, the Ram TRX comes in at $80,685 including destination. When you add dealer markups on top of it, who really knows what the Raptor R will cost.
