While the onus will be on electrification moving forward, there are a lot of other moving parts that need to work along in tandem for automakers to ensure a smooth transition. Ford has taken the first big step – probably the biggest step – of electrifying the most product in its lineup, the Ford F-150. With that out of the way, the automaker can now switch its focus on something completely different altogether this year – grow the Raptor brand even more.

If you pick up all the pieces the company has been dropping in the last 1-1.5 years, you’ll realize that it is working on building the Raptor brand. We have the F-150 Raptor R coming, the Bronco Raptor is already here, and even the Ranger Raptor has finally crossed the forbidden door and come to the States and Canada. Will Ford make ‘Raptor’ a standalone brand like the Mustang and the Bronco?

Overview

Ford’s Raptor brand is growing exponentially, and it has the potential to become a standalone brand; more than the Bronco and Mustang, if you were to ask me. Whether you like it or not, there’s no denying that Ford has been killing it with the Raptor builds. Whichever product that comes under the Raptor’s wings sees a phenomenal transformation. In the U.S., we had only the F-150 Raptor until last year. In 2022, Ford inducted the Bronco into the stable as well. Come 2023, the Ranger Raptor will be included in the Raptor family as well.

While these are the products that are already in existence, Ford has plans to Raptor-ize a few more products in here, taking things even more extreme. For starters, the F-150 Raptor with a V-8 is also coming in the future. Some country-specific hotshots have touched upon a Ranger Raptor with a V-8 as well. If this wasn’t enough, there are rumors of Everest joining the group, too.

News about these Raptor vehicles is definitely exciting, but it makes us wonder if Ford’s focus (pun unintended) at the moment is on building the Raptor brand. Don’t get me wrong, it’s absolutely exciting, and as a purist, I couldn’t be any happier and excited to see what Ford does with Raptor. But, does it mean its electrification plans are on the back burner for now? At a time when the whole world is heading towards the EV-olution, the Blue Oval is taking it a tad bit slow, it seems. For now, we have just three EVs with the Ford badge – the Mustang Mach-E, the E-Transit, and the F-150 Lightning. There are some hybrids and plug-in hybrids in the lineup, and we know some models are expected to be electrified as well, but is Ford prioritizing Raptor over electrification? The company said it will invest $22 billion in electrification through 2025, but it’s still something to ponder over. And, I repeat myself, I’m not saying there’s anything wrong in focusing on building the Raptor brand. For all we know, this might be the stepping stone for Raptor EVs moving forward. F-150 Lightning Raptor, anyone? That’s far-fetched, but it would be pretty cool.

For now, let’s see how the Raptor brand is looking at the moment:

F-150 Raptor

2021 Ford F-150 Raptor
Ford

Ford came up with the third-gen F-150 Raptor in 2021, and it is based on the fourteenth-gen F-150. The off-road truck comes with some significant changes and feels like a huge upgrade over the model it replaces. A lot of changes were expected because Ram came up with the 1500 TRX and it was touted as the ‘Raptor-killer’. Now, Ford made sure to counterattack it from all fronts, except one that probably mattered the most – the engine. Ford decided to stick with its twin-turbo V-6 to take on the TRX’s supercharged V-8. It was obvious that this is no match, but Ford surprised us by announcing the F-150 Raptor R, an even-more aggressive F-150 Raptor model with a V-8 engine under the hood! Talk about sandwiching the TRX from both sides!

As stated above, the new-gen F-150 Raptor is powered by the same 3.5-liter, twin-turbo V-6 EcoBoost engine. At the time of unveiling, Ford didn’t announce the power outputs. We excepted a slight bump in the figures. However, that didn’t happen and the truck continues to churn out the same 450 horsepower and 510 pound-feet of torque. Power is routed to the wheels via a 10-speed automatic transmission.

The F-150 Raptor comes with an independent suspension up front and a five-link suspension setup at the rear. It comes with 24-inch coil springs and a Panhard rod. You also get 3.1-inch Fox Live Valve dampers, an electronic locking rear differential, and a two-speed transfer case. Extra moolah can get you a Torsen front limited-slip differential. The suspension now has a travel range of 14 inches at the front and 15 inches at the back. The automaker also introduced an equal-length exhaust system with an inbuilt X-pipe and Trombone loop. There are active valves with four different settings - Quiet, Normal, Sport, and Baja. The F-150 Raptor doesn’t have a V-8 engine under the hood, but Ford made sure it at least sounds like one. Fun fact: the exhaust system is inspired by the Nissan GT-R and the Alfa Romeo Giulia QV.

Ford ditched all other body styles and retained only the SuperCrew. It comes with a 5.5-foot truck bed. The towing capacity is rated at 8,200 pounds, whereas the payload capacity is rated at 1,400 pounds. In terms of aesthetics, it obviously looks similar to the standard F-150 that it is based on. You get LED headlights and taillights, a hood with a power dome and functional air vents, the signature Raptor grille, etc. The truck rides on 17-inch wheels wrapped in 35-inch tires as standard. However, 37-inch tires are available as optional! Ford stated it had to make changes to its production lines to be able to offer this.

On the inside, you get stuff like a 12-inch digital instrument cluster sitting behind a new steering wheel that came out in the new generation, 12-inch touchscreen SYNC4 infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa, 18-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio system, keyless entry and Start/Stop, 360-degree camera, etc. Recaro bucket seats and an 18-speaker B&O Unleashed sound system by Bang & Olufsen are optional

The F-150 Raptor starts at $68,675, which is a pretty steep hike when compared to the previous-gen F-150 Raptor SuperCrew that started at $58,135. That’s over $10,000 more for the same body style. But, Ford played it smart because it is nearly $8,000 cheaper than the Ram TRX, which starts at $76,880 for the 2022 model year. It goes without saying that the F-150 Raptor R, expected to be launched sometime this year, will start north of $80,000.

Read our review of the Ford F-150 Raptor.

Bronco Raptor

The Bronco came out in 2020 and was one of the most anticipated vehicles. The off-roader impressed almost everyone and had barely a few things that didn’t tick the box – missing V-8 engine being the most glaring of them all. The off-roader was rugged enough to take on the invincible Jeep Wrangler, but Ford decided to induct this beast into the ‘Raptor Hall of Fame’ as well. The result? An off-roader that boasts of even better off-road credentials.

Given how well spec’d the Bronco is, there were skepticisms as to how much more Ford can do with it and whether it would dilute the Raptor moniker to any extent. As it turns out, Ford did a fine job with it. There’s still no V-8 here, and it most likely will never happen either, but it comes with a plethora of other impressive features. For starters, Ford is offering a different, bigger V-6 engine when compared to the standard Bronco. It displaces three liters and features two turbochargers. The power outputs aren’t revealed, but it will put out around 400 horsepower. It will be mated to a 10-speed automatic gearbox.

As for the off-roading goodies, Ford has equipped a lot of stuff here. For starters, there’s an upgraded version of the High-Performance Off-Road Stability Suspension. It includes FOX 3.1 Internal Bypass Semi-Active Dampers with integrated reservoirs at the front and remote reservoirs at the rear. Courtesy of this, the suspension travel range is now 13 inches at the front and 14 inches at the rear. You also get an upgraded Dana 44 AdvanTEK front-drive axle with a 4.70 ratio, and a Dana 50 heavy-duty AdvanTEK solid rear axle with a 4.70 ratio. The five-link rear setup comes with a Panhard rod and outboard coilover springs. The exhaust setup is the one that's seen on the F-150 Raptor. In terms of tech, you get Terrain Management System with G.O.A.T. Modes, Trail Control, Trail Turn Assist, and Trail One-Pedal Driving.

On the outside, it comes with the signature two-piece Raptor grille, steel bumper with two tow hooks, a new vented hood, unique front and rear quarter panels, fenders with integrated heat extraction ducts, reinforced rock rails, removable running boards, and a full-size tailgate-mounted spare tire. The Bronco Raptor rides on 17-inch black high-gloss wheels wrapped in 37-inch BFGoodrich KO2 all-terrain tires as standard. It also features removable doors and roof. As for the off-road specs, it boasts an approach angle of 47.2 degrees, a breakover angle of 30.8 degrees, and a departure angle of 40.5 degrees. The beast sits 13.1 inches above the ground and can tow up to 4,500 lbs.

On the inside, the truck features a sport-contoured steering wheel with magnesium paddle shifters, a 12-inch digital instrument cluster, a 12-inch touchscreen system that supports wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 360-degree camera, seven-speaker audio system, etc. Stuff like a 10-speaker audio system, heated steering wheel, and wireless charging pad are available as optional. The base Bronco Raptor will come with Black Onyx marine-grade vinyl seats and rubberized washout flooring.

The Bronco Raptor will start at $69,995, which makes it over $20,000 more expensive than the top-spec standard Bronco. In fact, it is also more expensive than the F-150 Raptor! The bookings will commence this month and deliveries will begin in summer this year.

Read our review of the Ford Bronco Raptor.

Ranger Raptor

The Ranger Raptor has been a mainstay ‘Raptor’ child in the company’s portfolio for many years, and the automaker came up with a new generation of the off-roading truck in February 2022. While it comes with a whole lot of changes on the inside, outside, and under the skin, the biggest news was that it will be crossing the ocean and coming to the U.S. and Canada. The forbidden door has been opened!

There are quite a few aesthetic changes here, but all of them are Raptor-specific. This includes the signature Raptor grille with the F-O-R-D lettering, C-clamp-shaped LED matrix headlights and DRLs, functional vents and cast-aluminum side steps, etc. The truck rides on 17-inch alloy wheels wrapped in Raptor-exclusive performance all‑terrain tires. You get LED taillights, and exclusive bumpers with an integrated step pad and a towbar.

There are some changes inside the cabin as well, like new fighter jet-inspired sports seats, Ford Performance Code Orange shade accents all around, a 12.4-inch digital instrument cluster, leather sports heated steering wheel, and so on. Ford has also equipped a 12-inch touchscreen powered by a SYNC 4A infotainment system. It supports wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Apart from this, you also get cast-magnesium paddle shifters, ambient lighting, and a 10-speaker B&O sound system

The Ranger Raptor was powered only by a 2.0-liter, twin-turbo four-cylinder EcoBlue diesel engine that made 211 horses and 369 pound-feet of torque up until now. This time around, it has company in the form of a 3.0-liter, turbocharged V-6 EcoBoost mill that puts out 284 horses and 362 pound-feet of twist. Both the options will be mated to a 10-speed automatic gearbox. The truck comes with an advanced full-time four-wheel-drive system. There’s an electronically controlled, on-demand two-speed transfer case and front and rear locking differentials as well.

Ford’s moved the Ranger Raptor to a new platform and that has allowed it to free its arms and offer upgrades that it couldn’t with the T6 platform. It shares the new platform with the standard Ranger, but comes with Raptor-specific mounts unique frames for the jounce bumper, etc. The suspension setup is upgraded, too, with lightweight aluminum upper and lower control arms, a long‑travel front and rear suspension, FOX Live Valve dampers, FOX 2.5-inch Live Valve internal bypass shock absorber with FOX Bottom-Out Control, and so on.

Since there’s no V-8 engine under the hood, Ford’s tried to at least give you the aural experience of one via an electronically controlled active exhaust system with four modes – Quiet, Normal, Sport, and Baja. The Ranger Raptor comes with a tech called the ‘Anti-Lag System’ that keeps the turbos running for three seconds after you lift your foot off the throttle. You also get a cruise control for off-roading called the Trail Control. The truck also comes with seven drive modes to choose from – Normal, Sport, Slippery, Rock Crawl. Sand, Mud/Ruts, and Baja.

There’s no word on the pricing as of writing this article, but we speculate a starting price of around $40,000 when it arrives here sometime in 2023. In Europe, the deliveries will commence in the last quarter of 2022

Read our review of the Ford Ranger Raptor

F-150 Raptor R

Ford broke the news about the F-150 Raptor R when it launched the third-gen F-150 Raptor. There was a little disclaimer at the end of the video which said “more to come in 2022”. Soon, the authorities announced that the F-150 Raptor R will be a V-8 offering. Moving forward, can the ‘Raptor R’ mean V-8 offerings? It sure opens up an avenue, but we’ll have to wait and watch.

There is no information on the F-150 Raptor R yet, but we can speculate about it, either way. Expect it to be a bigger, bulkier version of the F-150 Raptor. In terms of aesthetics, a new grille, bumpers, hood with power done, etc. will be a given. Since it will have a bigger V-8 engine under the hood, it will also have a new air induction system with multiple vents on the fenders, around the wheel wells, etc. You can also expect stuff like off-road side steps, rock rails, etc.

37-inch tires wrapped around 17-inch beadlock wheels could be a standard offering. We don’t think Ford will give you a bigger bed. The new F-150 Raptor only comes in the SuperCrew body style with a 5.5-foot bed. The same can be expected here as well. You must be wondering what happens to the spare tire if 37-inch tire is standard. It will eat up a lot of truck bed space. Well, Ford went through a lot of troubles to plonk the 37-inch spare under the body, thus freeing up the whole bed. That’s not the case with the TRX, though, as you will have to buy a spare-tire carrier that will be placed in the bed. This will play a big role in the decision-making for many people.

As for the cabin and tech, we don’t expect many improvements. Perhaps, there could be new seats and Ford Performance Code Orange shade accents all around. Carbon fiber elements, leather upholstery, and suede inserts could be something Ford could offer, too. The touchscreen and the digital instrument cluster could show more off-road data, like G-force meter, 0-60 mph times, etc. The other tech you can expect here will be like an enhanced version of the Terrain Management System with more G.O.A.T modes, 360-degree camera, one-pedal drive, Trail Control, and so on.

The biggest question is, what will power the F-150 Raptor R? A new engine from the ground up can be thrown out of the equation since it won’t bring enough sales to justify one. Not to mention, we are moving towards electrification, and covering up for the developmental costs will be a huge task. We know that it will come with a V-8 under the hood, which leaves us with four choices:

- 5.0-liter, V-8 Coyote

- 5.2-liter, V-8 Predator

- 6.8-liter, V-8 Pushrod

- 7.3-liter, V-8 Godzilla

The Coyote is too long in the tooth and does duties in the standard F-150. Ford will try to differentiate both these models in this aspect. Also, let’s not forget that it has to go up against Ram TRX’s 6.2-liter, “supercharged” V-8 Hellcat engine that makes 702 horses and 650 pound-feet of torque. The 6.8-liter V-8 pushrod is something Ford’s working on and had plans to plonk it in the Mustang. That may or may not happen, but not sure if Ford will supercharge the mill and offer it here. Ford would prefer a tried and trusted mill instead.

This leaves us with the 7.3-liter Godzilla and the 5.2-liter, V-8 supercharged Predator. The former is seen in the Super Duty Series, and Ford could add a supercharger and offer it. Ford has teamed up with Whipple to develop a supercharger for this mill. Whipple came up with a 3.0-liter, Gen V, twin-screw supercharger head unit that makes 700 ponies and 750 pound-feet of torque with a Stage 2 kit. Perfect power outputs, but too much displacement?

Then there’s the Predator V-8 currently serving in the Mustang GT500. It makes 760 horses and 625 pound-feet of twist there, is paired with a supercharger, and fits the bill for the F-150 Raptor R. The flagship car’s engine is the flagship truck won’t be bad for the GT500’s prestige, either. Our money’s on this mill.

As for the performance specs, expect them to be on par, or better than the TRX. The latter sprints to 60 mph from rest in 4.5 seconds, has a top speed of 118 mph, and completes the quarter-mile run in 12.9 seconds at 108 mph. As for the pricing, we expect it to start north of $80,000 when it arrives (perhaps $85,000), considering that the Ram 1500 TRX starts at around $77,000

Read our review of the Ford F-150 Raptor R

Ranger Raptor R

The Ranger Raptor R is mere speculation so far. Unlike the F-150 Raptor R’s announcement, the Ranger Raptor R is more wishful thinking than any official. Earlier this year, CarsGuide, an Australian publication, spoke to a couple of Ford’s executives hinted at a badass version of the Ranger Raptor. When quizzed about it a V-8 Ranger Raptor, the hotshots said, “There is a lot of that Bronco DR that is standard Bronco, and the underpinning of the standard Bronco and the underpinnings of the Ranger we’re just in the process of releasing is the same architecture.”

Now, whether or not this will capitalize is a different question. But the executives have something like that in mind. This might be country-specific and not a global model, if at all it capitalizes. “Twenty-five million people in the country the size of Australia, lots of desert, lots of places to have fun,” they said. If this product joins the lineup, it will become the cheapest Raptor on sale. But, the biggest question is – does Ford really need it? Offering it will get sales nonetheless, but there are chances of cannibalization within the portfolio and it may have long-term effects. But, as we said, these are mere speculations, so take the Ranger Raptor R with a big portion of salt.

Read our review of the Ford Ranger

Everest Raptor

To think of it, the Everest Raptor isn’t just a bad idea. For starters, it’s a Ranger with an SUV body. Ford recently unveiled the third-gen Everest and it comes with a lot of changes. The automaker replaced the aging 3.2-liter, five-cylinder engine for two engines - a 3.0-liter, turbocharged V-6, and the other is a 2.0-liter, four-pot engine that comes with one- or twin turbos depending on the trim you choose. A gas-based 2.3-liter engine will join the lineup next year.

Now, coming to the heart of the matter, Motor1 spoke to the Global Chief Engineer of the T6 platform, Ian Foston, regarding the Everest getting the Raptor treatment. about whether or not the Everest will get the Raptor enhancements. He neither confirmed nor denied it, and gave a very diplomatic answer. He said it’s not on the agenda for now, but Ford could easily change its mind if there’s enough customer interest. If the demand generates, expect it to come with most of Ranger Raptor’s gear.

Read our review of the Ford Everest