Ford Motor Co.’s 2023 F-150 Raptor R adds eye-popping V-8 punch to the automaker’s off-road lineup, but won’t supplant the Ram 1500 TRX as the apex predator of the full-size performance pickup segment.
Ford said the Raptor R’s 5.2-liter V-8 engine will generate 700 hp and 640 pound-feet of torque, just below the TRX’s 702 hp and 650 pound-feet of torque. But Ford officials argue the Raptor R’s expected curb weight of 5,950 pounds — about 400 pounds lighter than the TRX — will make it a more agile, durable beast.
“In the end, two or three horsepower doesn’t really matter,” Tony Greco, program manager of F-150 Raptor, told Automotive News. “It really comes down to the power-to-weight ratio. It’s a nimble, nimble monster and that’s what it takes to be fast in the environment we want to compete in and dominate.”
The Raptor R, meant for desert-racing enthusiasts, is Ford’s most powerful Raptor-badged vehicle to-date. While the brand has been a hit for Ford, and was recently expanded to the Bronco nameplate, enthusiasts have been clamoring for V-8 power for years.
“Raptor R is our ultimate Raptor,” Carl Widmann, Ford Performance chief engineer, said in a statement. “When customers experience Raptor R in the desert and beyond, it will make the hairs on the back of their necks stand up.”
Ford already uses the 5.2-liter V-8 engine in the Mustang Shelby GT500, but officials say it’s been upgraded for off-roading in the Raptor R.
The supercharger has been recalibrated, and engineers installed a new pulley to increase power and torque density. Ford upgraded the engines exhaust manifolds with a stainless steel design and unique oil cooler and filter. They also upped the air intake to help keep the engine cooler.
The Raptor R features a new front axle with higher-strength carrier casting, as well as a larger-diameter aluminum driveshaft and specially-tuned torque converter.
The truck comes with the five-link rear suspension that debuted on the 2021 Raptor and includes longer trailing arms and taller coil springs to enhance stability, as well as advanced, specially-tuned Fox live valve shocks.
It also comes with 37-inch tires standard.
Design-wise, the Raptor R features a hood that sits 1 inch higher than the base model, and comes with unique badging and accents, but it doesn’t deviate wildly from the regular Raptor.
“We didn’t want to make it about the aesthetics,” Greco said. “We wanted to make it about what’s under the hood.”
The Raptor R’s introduction comes as Ford continues to find success in the off-road space, expanding vehicle lines with new variants and sub-brands such as Timberline, FX4 and Tremor. Todd Eckert, Ford’s truck group marketing manager, said he’s not concerned about slicing the market too thin because Raptor R appeals to a specific type of enthusiast who enjoys desert racing.
“We’ve really tried to scale them to hit the right customers in terms of the experience they’re looking for,” he said. “Off-roading is important to truck. We want to have offerings to choose the right experience for them and their needs.”