Given what’s on offer at your nearest Ford dealer these days we’d like to think that Raptor envy wasn’t really a thing anymore among South African bakkie fans.
But it seems that this new beast from the USA is trying to turn us into a shade of green.
Ford has released the first teaser image of its 2024 F-150 Raptor R, which has the distinction of being the Blue Oval’s most powerful pick-up truck ever.
“The new 2024 Ford F-150 Raptor R is the most powerful and capable high performance off-road full-size truck to ever run in the sand and beyond,” Ford says.
This is thanks to an updated 5.2-liter supercharged V8 that produces 537kW and 868Nm. The 15kW increase in power, versus the pre-facelift model, comes as a result of reduced air inlet losses along with optimised calibration that also results in a wider torque curve.
While the increase in horsepower might not sound significant, it is enough to oust - or more like dance on the grave of - the recently discontinued Hemi V8 powered RAM TRX, which was until recently the most powerful petrol-powered production bakkie in the world.
For hasn’t mentioned much else about the new F-150 Raptor R, but the current version boasts five-link rear suspension with extra-long trailing arms, Fox Live Valve shocks and 24-inch coil springs.
The cabin is decked out with carbon fibre decor trim and Recaro sports front seats and carbon fibre cabin.
The first Ford F-150 Raptor made its debut 14 years back, powered by a 6.2-litre V8 that offered up 306kW.
The formula proved so successful that the company decided to produce a Ranger Raptor for global markets. The first of these was powered by a rather modest 2.0-litre turbodiesel, but the latest Ranger Raptor practically doubles the excitement with a 292kW turbocharged V6 petrol engine.
“Raptor’s legacy of high performance and durability continues to set the bar in the high-performance, off-road segment and delivers on the vision to bring customers closer to Baja desert racing-inspired trophy truck performance,” Ford said.