Ford has revealed official details of its production-ready F-150 Raptor R. As with the current F-150, Ranger and Bronco, the Raptor moniker refers to this F-150’s rugged high-speed off-road specification, but the R ditches its Ecoboost V6 engine for a 700bhp supercharged 5.2-litre V8. Unsurprisingly, Ford has no intentions of offering the Raptor R in the UK, but there’s no harm in just browsing right?

The key element of the R is the aforementioned V8 engine which first appeared in the brilliant Ford Shelby Mustang GT500. It’s running a light de-tune here, with 700bhp instead of the 500’s 760bhp. Still, combined with a 867 newton-meters of torque figure, it brings this flagship F-150 right up to date with its key American rival, the Ram 1500 TRX. The numbers are close, with Ford giving only 2bhp and 12nm away to the Hemi-powered Ram, and until we’re given official acceleration times, the Ram’s 4.5sec 0-100kph figure remains the time to beat. 

Ford’s engineering team has dug right into the powertrain to ensure it meets the requirements of a Raptor model, including recalibrating the supercharger with a new pulley that optimises low- and mid-range torque output compared to the peakier Mustang GT500. There are also upgrades to the cast exhaust manifolds, there’s a new oil cooler and a redesigned oil pan that’ll handle extreme gradients without starving the bottom end. The engine’s breathing has also been rejigged, with a wider intake inlet and a higher-flow air-filter.

Power is transferred to all four wheels via Ford’s ten-speed automatic transmission. This is the first time Ford’s 5.2-litre engine has been connected to this transmission as the GT500 utilises a seven-speed dual-clutch brought in from Tremec. To handle the extra weight of the V8, the R picks up a new front axle with tougher engine and suspension mounts. 

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