DETROIT — Ford Motor Co. forged the performance pickup market 12 years ago with the first F-150 Raptor.
Now the automaker is hoping the third-generation truck will help restore dominance in a field that’s grown more crowded.
The 2021 F-150 Raptor, introduced Wednesday, features an exclusive rear suspension, upgraded Fox racing shocks, available 37-inch tires and a host of new connected technologies that all stand to improve the performance pickup.
What remains to be seen, however, is whether the redesigned Raptor — or more likely the high-performance Raptor R variant promised for 2022 — can knock off Ram’s 702-hp TRX as the most powerful full-size performance pickup on the market.
Ford declined to provide any performance specs during the vehicle’s unveiling, but the 3.5-liter V-6 engine is unlikely to top the TRX’s 6.2-liter Hemi V-8. The company did confirm, however, that the Raptor R coming in 2022 will have a V-8 to directly match the TRX.
Still, Ford believes the base Raptor can appeal to enthusiasts and differentiate itself not only from Ram, but from new internal competition from the Bronco and Bronco Sport.
“The off-road customer base is growing, and off-road vehicles are becoming an even bigger part of the business,” Brian Bell, F-150 marketing manager, said on a call with reporters. He said there would be minimal cross-shop with the Bronco subbrand, and that the Raptor customer base was more focused on towing and hauling, as well as high-speed desert performance.
The 2021 F-150 Raptor’s design is inspired by the U.S. Air Force’s F-22 Raptor fighter jet, Ford said. The vehicle is 6 inches wider than the standard F-150 and although it shares a similar steel frame, the Raptor is equipped with a number of unique components such as taller, stronger shock towers, a lower front axle and a different trailer hitch.
The exterior largely mimics the design language of past models, featuring large, blacked-out letters — FORD — across the mesh-patterned grille.
The vehicle’s new five-link rear suspension is meant to improve traction for quicker acceleration and faster starts off the line in races. It also has longer trailing arms and taller coil springs to enhance stability, Ford says.
“Raptor is rooted in Baja 1000 racing, and its suspension advances our capability and performance — a five-link rear setup with more wheel travel than any Raptor before it,” Carl Widmann, chief engineer for Ford Performance, said in a statement. “And like a trophy truck, every aspect of Raptor has been engineered to deliver precision capability when your foot is flat on the floor, way out in the middle of nowhere roaring across the desert.”
The front suspension has also been upgraded, with new ball joints, wheel bearings and a number of other parts.
The vehicle will also come with an on-board generator and feature Ford’s Sync 4 infotainment system with over-the-air update capability, similar to the non-Raptor F-150 pickups.
The Raptor will feature seven drive modes: Slippery, Tow/Haul, Sport, Normal, Off-Road, Baja and Rock Crawl.
Ford declined to provide pricing details. The F-150 Raptor will be built at Ford’s Dearborn Truck Plant in Michigan and will hit dealerships this summer.