The Ford F-150 Raptor is a great high-speed off-roader, but what doesn’t get better when you swap out a twin-turbocharged V6 for a supercharged V8? The Raptor R variant is happy to answer that question with 720 horsepower, a huge upgrade from the base Rap’s 450 hp. But although the V8-powered Baja truck is a headline grabber, Ford has no plans to endow its other Raptor models with high-performance R variants, citing the Bronco and Ranger Raptors’ shared twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 as being more than adequate for their needs.
Base Trim Engine
EcoBoost 3L ICE
Base Trim Transmission
10-speed automatic
Base Trim Drivetrain
Four-Wheel Drive
Base Trim Horsepower
405 HP @5750 RPM
Base Trim Torque
430 lb.-ft. @ 3250 RPM
Base Trim Fuel Economy (city/highway/combined)
16/18/17 MPG
Base Trim Battery Type
Lead acid battery
‘Almost Too Much Power’
Speaking to Road & Track, Ford Racing Production Vehicle Chief Engineer Carl Widmann said that he hasn’t seen any plans for something like a Ranger Raptor R or a Bronco Raptor R, which could’ve theoretically be powered by the Mustang GT’s 480-hp, 5.0-liter V8 instead of the truck’s 405 horses and the Bronco’s 418. Still, the extra juice of a beefy American V8 probably isn’t necessary, because according to Widmann, the Ranger has a lot of power on its closest competitors
Ford F-150 Raptor R GrilleFord
Widmann says that currently, the Ranger Raptor almost has too much power, so there just isn’t a need for more juice in Ford’s midsize pickup. As R&T points out, for those that disagree with the chief engineer’s assessment, there’s also a Ford Racing re-calibration available that takes power to a stratospheric 455 hp, with 536 pound-feet of torque to boot.
So What Does The Raptor Lineup Need?
When it comes to traditional off-roading, the Ford F-150, Ranger, and Bronco Raptor pretty well have the market cornered on capability and fun to drive. Even the Raptor T1+ racing truck does well in the challenging Dakar Rally. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t room in the rugged family for more members. We’ve heard abundant rumors about additional Raptor models, including the F-Series Super Duty and even the Mustang – giving Ford a more affordable take on the Porsche 911 Dakar and Lamborghini Sterrato formula.
2026 Ford Raptor T1+ front endFord
That speculation comes on the back of quotes from CEO Jim Farley, who says he wants to expand the brand into off-road segments not currently being satisfied by existing vehicles on the market. That could include a sporty two-door coupe with a long-travel suspension and desert-munching power. It could also include a standalone Raptor-branded supercar that’s not based on any current Ford product, only furthering the comparison to Porsche and Lamborghini’s bygone off-road sportsters. For our part, we’d love to see both an exotic and a pony car tackle the desert.
Related
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CarBuzz Insight – Why This Matters:
The Ranger’s most powerful rival right now is the Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro and its Trailhunter sibling, which both come standard with a turbocharged and hybridized 2.4-liter inline-four making 326 hp and 465 lb-ft. However, the Blue Oval will lose its midsize truck horsepower crown if the long-rumored, V8-powered Jeep Gladiator 392 ever makes it to production – in the closely related Wrangler 392, that 6.4-liter Hemi produces 470 hp and 470 lb-ft. We wonder if Ford will reconsider a Ranger Raptor R with a five-oh V8 at that point.
Source: Road & Track
