Ford has just revealed its craziest ute to date.
The Blue Oval took the covers off the F-150 Raptor R in the US overnight.
The new ute delivers eye-popping performance and muscular good looks.
Australians might be familiar with the super popular Ranger Raptor, but the new F-150 version takes high-performance utes to another level.
Ford Performance chief engineer, Carl Widmann, said the Raptor R was the ultimate perfromance ute.
“When customers experience Raptor R in the desert and beyond, it will make the hairs on the back of their necks stand up – and they’ll love every second of it,” said Widmann.
It packs a monstrous supercharged 5.2-litre V8 petrol engine that makes a beefy 522kW and 868Nm. That’s about triple the outputs of a Toyota HiLux and rivals high-end machines from Ferrari and McLaren.
As with the Ranger Raptor the F-150 is built to dominate tough off-road environments.
It’s kitted out with 37-inch all-terrain tyres, four-wheel-drive and a best-in-class ground clearance. Upgraded Fox shock absorbers and massive coil springs provide excellent off-road stability and ability.
An array of sensors monitors the suspension movement and the terrain to make automatic adjustments to the suspension tuning to further minimise roll and improve the ride.
There are several driving modes including Normal, Sport, Quiet and Baja. These different settings alter the vehicle’s steering, throttle response, suspension firmness and exhaust note.
The Raptor R’s rugged ability is backed up by its tough guy looks.
A massive grille with “FORD” stamped across it and a black bumpers and fender flares beef up its image. Orange highlights used extensively in the exterior and interior make the Raptor R pop.
The package is rounded out with Recaro sports seats wrapped in black leather and Alcantara faux suede. There are carbon fibre inserts inside and a giant 12-inch touchscreen.
Ford Australia has committed to bringing the regular F-150 Down Under in 2023. It will import the vehicles from the US and convert them to right-hand drive in Melbourne.
If the regular F-150 is a hit it’ll open the doors to getting high-demand variants such as the F-150 Raptor and electric F-150 Lightning to Australia according to local boss Andrew Birkic.
In the meantime Aussies on the hunt for a high-performance monster ute can buy the Ram TRX.
The TRX is based on the Ram 1500 and is powered by a supercharged 6.2-litre Hemi V8 that produces 523kW and 882Nm.
It too has a desert rally-inspired Baja setting and plenty of luxury kit inside.
The RAM TRX starts at $199,950 plus on-road costs, which push its price beyond the $200,000 mark.
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