The Ram TRX was hailed as a Raptor-killer when it debuted in 2020. Everyone excitedly awaited the arrival of the third-generation Ford F-150 Raptor, which took longer than expected because the 14th-generation 2021 F-150 had been available for quite some time. The TRX sparked excitement because it featured a V-8 engine, which the F-150 Raptor lacked. When the third-generation Ford F-150 Raptor was ultimately debuted, it still lacked a V-8 engine. But, little did anyone know, the Raptor with a V-8 was on the way, and the Blue Oval even revealed it at the same occasion.
Ford, on the other hand, chose to make it a stand-alone model named the F-150 Raptor R. The V-8 is, without a doubt, the standout! This news has been out for almost 15 months. Here’s all we know about the impending F-150 Raptor R V-8, which is set to debut in 2022.
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So, let’s get right to the point and discuss the powerhouse. The first-generation Raptor was available with two V-8 engines: a 5.4-liter V-8 and a 6.2-liter V-8. Both of these engines have been discontinued by the automaker, and no replacement engines are being developed expressly for this use. Ford offers a number of V-8 engines, but let’s be honest: anything other than the 5.2-liter ‘Predator’ V-8 from the Mustang GT500 would have tarnished the Raptor R’s image – despite the fact that it is a new model.
The Mustang GT500 now uses the 5.2-liter supercharged V-8 ‘Predator’ engine. It is paired to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox and produces 760 horsepower and 625 pound-feet of twist. This is Ford’s most powerful engine at the moment. It was almost a foregone conclusion that the 2023 Raptor R would be the company’s flagship vehicle. However, we definitely needed a cause to check out the other selections. Ford should be fine with a bit more torque than the GT500’s tuning. We won’t complain even if it’s offered in the same tune as the Mustang, which seems improbable.
While the leak above confirms the Predator V-8 from the Mustang GT500 will find its way under the Raptor V-8’s hood, let’s see what other options Ford has if it chooses not to go with the Predator V-8:
Right off the bat, Ford had four options to choose from:
- 5.0-liter, V-8 Coyote
- 6.8-liter, V-8 Pushrod
- 7.3-liter, V-8 Godzilla
The Coyote engine was immediately ruled out. It’s available in the basic F-150 and has been on the market for much too long. Ford isn’t planning to employ this in a supercharged form to compete with Ram’s red-hot Hellcat HEMI V-8.
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Then there’s the 6.8-liter V-8 pushrod engine Ford has been developing and was reported to be putting in the F-150 and Mustang. It checks all the boxes and appears to be a strong fit for this application if Ford can add a supercharger and make it a high-power output engine. Will Ford risk offering a new engine in a high-performance off-road truck without knowing how reliable it will be in the long run? Maybe not in its first run.
This leads us to the 7.3-liter Godzilla V-8 that Ford has been providing in its vehicles. Ford would be tempted to equip it with a supercharger and pit it against the Ram performance truck, which is now available in the Super Duty Series. In reality, Ford and Whipple have collaborated to design a supercharger for this engine. With a Stage 2 kit, the business has produced a 3.0-liter Gen V twin-screw supercharged head unit that produces 700 horsepower and 750 pound-feet of torque. This is Ford’s second-most-likely course of action. So, if the 5.2-liter V-8 isn’t available for any reason, this is the engine that could be offered instead.
In terms of transmission, Ford has two options. One option is to stick with the GT500’s seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, while the other is to pair it with the F-150’s 10-speed SelectShift automatic transmission. While a 10-speed SelectShift automatic transmission with a few adjustments would be ideal for off-roading and towing, it appears like Ford will stick with the seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.
To think about it, if the 2022 Raptor R is going to take on the TRX, it’ll have to prove that it’s also a performance truck. When the TRX was introduced, Ram boasted that it was the “Quickest, Fastest, and Most Powerful Mass-produced Truck in the World.” The time it took to reach 60 mph from a standstill was 4.5 seconds, with a top speed of 118 mph. It also has Launch Control, which enables it to traverse a quarter-mile distance in 12.9 seconds at 108 mph. A 10-speed transmission will very certainly not suffice to match these figures.
