Ford unveiled the 2021 F-150 back in June 2020. The 2021 F-150 Raptor should've made its debut then, but the company pushed it for a later date. Eight months later, the automaker finally took the wraps off it, but again withheld information regarding its power specs. Fast forward to the present day, the power outputs quietly go live on the site. As it turns out, the 2021 Ford F-150 Raptor will continue to make 450 horses and 510 pound-feet of torque! So much wait and drama for what?
The 2021 F-150 Raptor Retains The Same Engine and Power Specs
The 2021 F-150 Raptor is based on the fourteenth-gen F-150, but is the third generation of the F-150 Raptor. When the automaker announced the details about the new Raptor earlier this year, it revealed that the truck will feature the same engine and transmission, but didn’t reveal the power outputs. Given that almost every engine in the standard 2021 F-150’s lineup received a power bump, it was expected that the Raptor would see a slight increase, too.
But, as it turns out, the 3.5-liter, twin-turbo V-6 EcoBoost mill continues to put out 450 horsepower and 510 pound-feet of torque. There’s no change whatsoever. Power will be sent to all wheels via the same 10-speed SelectShift automatic transmission. On top of this, there will be no hybrid Raptor, but there are still rumors that Ford wants to compete with the Ram TRX so a V-8 model could still happen down the road.
How Much Does The 2021 Ford F-150 Raptor Cost?
The 2021 F-150 Raptor starts at $65,840, including a destination charge of $1,695. This is over $10,000 more than the 2020 F-150 Raptor’s $55,150 starting price, including the destination charges.
However, the 2020 F-150 Raptor was available in SuperCab and SuperCrew configurations, whereas the 2021 Raptor comes only in the SuperCrew body style. The 2020 Raptor SuperCrew starts at $58,135, including destination, so it is effectively an increase of $7,705.
Can It Take On The 2021 Ram 1500 TRX With These Specs?
With the 1500 TRX, Ram came out of the doors looking like a bully. Ford, however, played it smart and steered clear from the big dog. Instead, the company announced another model, the F-150 Raptor R, to take on the Ram TRX. For now, all we know is that it will come with a V-8 engine and could produce similar power outputs as its rival.
But, based on the pricing alone, the Ram TRX will also cannibalize into the F-150 Raptor’s sales. The Ram 1500 TRX starts at $72,120 including destination, which makes it just $6,300 more expensive than the 2021 F-150 Raptor.
For $6,300 extra, you get a V-8 engine with a supercharger that churns out 252 horses and 140 pound-feet of torque more. This is enough to justify the premium you pay for it. But, the 2021 Raptor comes with a new suspension setup, bigger tires from the factory, and a new exhaust system that make the case for it. Also, not to mention, the Ford’s V-6 will be a lot more fuel-efficient.
What’s The 2021 F-150 Raptor All About
Other than the engine specs already noted, the 2021 F-150 comes with:
-* Electronic locking rear differential
-* Available Torsen front limited-slip differential with 4:10 final drive ratio
-* Two-speed transfer case
-* Towing Capacity of 8,200 pounds (200 pounds more than before)
-* Payload Capacity of 1,400 pounds (200 pounds more than before)
-* Independent front suspension system
-* New five-link rear suspension setup
-* Panhard rod and 24-inch coil springs
-* 3.1-inch Fox Live Valve dampers
-* Front suspension travel range of 14 inches
-* Rear suspension travel range of 15 inches
-* New equal-length exhaust system
-* With X-pipe and Trombone loop
-* Active valves, Four different sound levels
-* 17-inch wheels
-* 35-inch tires standard, 37-inch optional
-* Recaro bucket seats available
-* 12-inch digital instrument cluster
-* 12-inch touchscreen SYNC4 infotainment system
-* Wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa
-* 18-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio system
Final Thoughts
We’ll have to wait to see if the Ram TRX will eat into the 2021 F-150 Raptor’s sales or not. The Raptor R is still some time away, and until then, the standard Raptor will have to fend off the attack.
If you were to pick one of these two, which one would it be – the 2021 F-150 Raptor or the 2021 Ram 1500 TRX? Let us know your choice in the comments section below.