Prerunner Fans our prayers have been answered. No longer a rumor, the factory prerunner Ford Raptor will be release to the public.
Ford trucks have been a mainstay on the off-road racing scene for more that 20 years because of our long history of capability and durability, said Derrick Kuzak, Ford’s group vice president for Global Product Development. With the F-150 SVT Raptor, we will be delivering a true off-road performance truck with the proven Built Ford Tough’ capability and durability that is at the core of every F-150.
We here at Prerunner Maniac feel it is about time Ford made a truck that matches their intended use. Ford has been dominating the desert racing scene for years. I would say most prerunners today are built using Ford vehicles, it seems like a no brainer for Ford to offer a factory prerunner to help make the prerunner scene more mainstream.
Some might call owners of the Raptor, Posers, but we feel this is a huge step in the progression of the sport. Lets face it you cant make everyone happy.
So what makes the Raptor a prerunner? Well the first thing you notice is the bulge in the front fenders and the flare to the bedsides making room for the large BFG tires.
A quick peek under the front you clearly see the internal by-pass FOX SHOX giving the Raptor 11.2 of travel and this is with 4WD. The front suspension has been completely redesigned with, new upper A arm, new lower A arm, new tie rods, and new half-shaft joints, said Jamal Hameedi, Ford SVT chief engineer.
The rear of the Raptor uses piggy-back FOX SHOX giving you 13.4 of travel.
The Raptor will be released with the tried and true 5.4 liter Triton® V8 three-valve engine, which delivers 320 horsepower and 390 lb.-ft. of torque. Ford reports a new open-valve fuel-injection strategy improves the air/fuel charge conditions in the combustion chamber, allowing greater spark advance at higher loads and engine speeds.
After the launch of the Raptor a new 6.2-liter V8 will be available. It will feature all-new architecture specifically designed for robustness in a truck application.
After seeing the final details of the Ford Raptor it looks like Ford really did its homework, answering the needs of desert speed freaks. Now I am not saying we are going to see a Raptor tackling 2 foot whoops at 60mph, but it is a step in the right direction.
