Ford Performance created a one-off F-150 Raptor styled after the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor fighter jet for a charity auction benefiting kids’ interest and participation in flying. Called the Gathering of Eagles, the annual event is hosted by the Experimental Aircraft Association. This year, the auction raised $300,000 thanks to Ford’s donation of the “F-22 Raptor.” The truck obviously takes its name and styling cues from America’s premier fighter, going so far as to incorporate the jet’s silhouette into its grille and side mirrors. But that just scratches the surface of what Ford did to this 2018 F-150 Raptor Crew Cab.

The Raptor boasts a Whipple intercooler and other performance upgrades on its high-output, 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6, giving it an impressive 545 horsepower and 660 pound-feet of torque – a healthy improvement over its stock 450 horsepower and 510 pound-feet of twist. The bodywork received carbon fiber fender flairs, custom LED lighting, power-deploying running boards, an aggressive wheel and tire package, and that silver-over-black paint job. These, combined with other upgrades, helped the truck garner a $300,000 winning bid, beating out last year’s winning bid of $295,000 for a P-51D Mustang-themed 2017 Ford Shelby GT350 called Ole Yeller. Making the winning bid more special – it was from Gary Ackerman of Gaudin Ford in Las Vegas. Ackerman serves as Honorary Commander and Ambassador for the U.S. Air Force’s F-22 Squadron at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada.

Continue reading for more information.

Exterior

The F-22 F-150 project was headed by Ford design manager, Melvin Betancourt, and was supported by the team at Ford Performance. Since the project was built by Ford people under Ford’s care, the attention to detail is second to none, especially considering these are the folks who designed and built the F-150 to begin with.

Up front, the Raptor’s grille is replaced with the silhouette of the F-22 Raptor coming head-on. F-22 logos adorn the accent within the LED headlights, and of course, boldly on the front doors. The F-150’s wide track is covered with carbon fiber fender flares, helping keep mud and gravel from marring the paint. The original BFGoodrich tires have been swapped out for more aggressive Falken Wildpeak M/T tires mounted on Innov8 Racing custom forged beadlock wheels.

The extra ground clearance provided by the taller tires helps reveal the upgraded suspension components, too. The components are from Addictive Desert Design and include control arms, springs, and bump stops. Out back, Deaver rear leaf springs are said to offer a smoother ride than even the F-150 Raptor’s beefy suspension. Upgraded Fox Racing shocks with adjustable compression and rebound valving give the driver more say in how the truck rides. Ford upgraded the brakes, too. Alcon six-piston front calipers clamp larger rotors with high-friction pads. The brake components, the front tow hooks, and several other parts are accented in red. Other design details include carbon fiber hood and front fender vents. Lighting the way at night are nine LED lights by KC Hilites said to produce 1.3-million candela of light. (That’s extremely bright.) Out back, two spare tires are mounted in a special rack, along with a Hi-Lift jack and gas cans. The cargo bed is spared in LineX, too.

Interior

Note: standard Ford F-150 Raptor interior shown here.

Ford didn’t mention any upgrades within the interior of the F-22 F-150 Raptor. However, we can see the leather seats now have red inserts on the headrests and around the embroidered Raptor logo. It’s not a huge change, but it's enough to give the F-22 F-150 a unique flair.

Being an F-150 Raptor means the interior is already well equipped. It comes with Ford’s latest SYNC infotainment system, a unique gauge cluster with a 4.2-inch driver information screen, Raptor-specific seats, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel with the on-center marker at 12 o’clock. Other factory upgrades include Ford’s SYNC 3 infotainment system, overhead auxiliary switches for aftermarket components, and Ford’s Pro Trailer Backup Assist.

Drivetrain

Ford couldn’t leave the F-150 Raptor’s powertrain alone, either. The Raptor’s high-output EcoBoost V-6 is upgraded with a Whipple intercooler to keep turbo temperatures cooler, along with an ECU retuning to give the 3.5-liter an extra 95 horsepower and 150 pound-feet of torque. That moved the stock power levels from 450 horsepower and 510 pound-feet up to 545 horses and a whopping 660 pound-feet of torque. The F-150 Raptor still uses Ford’s new 10-speed automatic transmission and high-tech transfer case.

Ford made no performance claims on the F-22 F-150 Raptor project, but with the extra grunt from under the hood, expect this pickup to hit 60 mph a bit quicker than the 5.3 second it takes the stock truck to accelerate from a standstill. The upgraded suspension likely helps its high-speed desert running, as well, though it’s doubtful its new owner will be racing the Baja 1000 in this truck anytime soon.

Pricing

While it would be impossible to know how much Ford invested into this pickup, the price is likely well into the $120,00 range. A stock 2017 F-150 Raptor Crew Cab retails between $52,770 and $70,000, depending on options and packages. Add to that the custom paint job, the suspension parts, upgraded wheels and tires, the one-off billet grille, and the countless other details, it’s easy to imagine Ford spending a small fortune in creating this pickup.

Nevertheless, Ford donated the pickup for the Gathering of Eagles charity event. Gary Ackerman, the winning bidder, obviously thought both the truck and the cause were worthy enough to write a $300,000 check.

Conclusion

It’s great to see automakers so involved with charity work, especially offering continued support year after year. After all, the results are a win-win for everyone involved: the charity sees a hefty donation, the winning bidder gets an awesome vehicle, and you and I get to see the creating of something unique coming directly from Ford’s inner skunkworks. Sure, it’s disappointing to see how imaginative Ford engineers and designers can be without the limitations of bean counters and product planners, but it’s understandable how something so unique (and expensive) couldn’t sell in bulk volumes.

So, what do you think of the 2018 Ford F-22 F-150 Raptor? Would you like modifying your Raptor to look like this? Let us know in the comments below.

References

Read our full review of the 2018 Ford F-150