DESERT HERO

4x4magazine | 10/02/2016 | 0 Comments

The new Ford F-150 Raptor race truck will leverage Raptor’s production platform including its all-new high-output 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine and 10-speed transmission, along with torque-on-demand transfer case.

Putting the all-new Raptor through the grueling stretch of races Best in the Desert off-road racing series’ new factory stock class will help demonstrate how a truck born in the desert is even more prepared to take on the very toughest of terrain.

“This is the most stock truck I’ve ever seen in my time building Ford race trucks,” said Greg Foutz, owner of Foutz Motorsports, Ford’s truck builder and primary race truck driver. “Without custom technology or other modifications, this all-new Raptor is ready to prove the toughness and performance in the Best in the Desert series.”

The purpose-built fully boxed frame of the all-new Raptor – the backbone of the truck – features more high-strength steel than the outgoing Raptor. It is six inches wider than standard F-150 for improved stability off-road.

The all-new race truck leverages the built-in capability and features of the production Raptor, including Torsen front differential, first-ever dual exhaust and new Ford Performance 17-inch beadlock-capable wheels with next-generation BFGoodrich All-Terrain KO2 tires.

Modifications to the F-150 Raptor race truck include: race-optimized three-inch-diameter external-bypass front and rear Fox Racing Shox with race-optimized front and rear springs raise ride height to gain additional ground clearance and provide increased compression rate to handle extreme terrain, custom-fabricated roll cage, MasterCraft seats with five-point harness safety belts and window nets, LED light bars, racing fuel cell, Lowrance GPS, RacePak digital dash and data logger.

F-150 Raptor is powered by Ford’s second-generation high-output 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine that produces more power with greater efficiency than the outgoing 6.2-liter V8, rated at 411 horsepower and 434 lb.-ft. of torque. The new 3.5-liter EcoBoost is a Raptor-exclusive in the F-150 lineup, and paired with an all-new 10-speed transmission for improved efficiency.

A new transfer case, which manages power distribution between the front and rear wheels, combines the best attributes of clutch-driven, on-demand all-wheel drive with durable, mechanical-locking four-wheel drive to send power to the wheels in slippery conditions.

Pioneering off-road driving mode technology has evolved into an all-new Terrain Management System that enables the driver to select modes to optimize driving dynamics to environmental conditions. Six preset modes help the truck power through different terrain and conditions.