Does the 2022 Ford F-150 Raptor Have an Ace Up Its Sleeve?
We got the news in February about the 2021 Ford F-150 Raptor. Ram’s absolutely burly beast––the 1500 TRX––debuted last year. Since then, there was quite a bit of speculation surrounding the release of the new Ford Raptor.
However, when the pickup truck debuted we learned that the 2021 Ford F-150 Raptor will run a retuned version of the same engine with the same output specs.
But does the 2022 Ford F-150 Raptor have an ace up its sleeve? Many Ford fans were hoping that another V8 Raptor would come about as a means of competing head to head with the 2021 Ram 1500 TRX. The 2021 Ford F-150 Raptor may not feature a V8 model. However, the 2022 model year is probably going to have a V8 Raptor slotting above the standard Raptor as the “Raptor R.”
The 2021 Ford F-150 Raptor specs aren’t all disappointing
According to Road and Track, some recent documents published as a towing guide for the new Ford Raptor reveal its specs. Ford told us earlier this year that the 2021 Ford F-150 Raptor will employ an updated version of its current engine. Ford planted the 3.5 liter “high output” twin turbo V6 in the last generation. The towing chart shows that the output specs will be generally the same. Howber, there are improvements to the low end torque.
The 2021 Ford RV and Trailer Towing Guide shows the numbers of every engine in the 2021 Ford F-150 pickup truck lineup. The new Ford Raptor’s EcoBoost engine is set to generate 450 hp and 510 lb-ft of torque. That’s exactly the same numbers as the previous Raptor.
“Peak horsepower now arrives at 5850 rpm, way up from just 5000 in the previous engine.”
Road and Track
However, the 2021 Ford F-150 Raptor will have better low end torque. Rather than at 3,500 rpm as before, the 510 lb-ft will come in at 3000 rpm. A 500 rpm improvement will improve both off-road capability and towing power. The new Raptor will be able to handle a payload of 1400 lbs and tow up to 8,200 lbs––200 lbs more than the old Raptor.
A V8 Ford Raptor is coming
Many are disappointed that the new Ford Raptor pickup truck didn’t get a rowdy V8 engine like the Hellcat in the Ram 1500 TRX (good for over 700 hp). But Ford says that next the V8 Ford Raptor is coming. The 2022 Ford F-150 Raptor will have a “Raptor R” that slots higher than the standard F-150 Raptor in the trim levels.
The specs haven’t been released for the V8 Raptor yet. Heck, the specs for the 2021 model were only released inadvertently through the 2021 Ford RV and Trailer Towing Guide. That said, it’s likely that the 2022 Ford F-150 Raptor will get a 5.2 liter supercharged V8. That’s what Ford has in the current Mustang Shelby GT500.
So the 2022 Ford F-150 Raptor will have an ace up its sleeve. A beefy V8 to compete head to head with the Ram 1500 TRX. Nothing has been confirmed yet in terms of the official powertrain. But we think it’s pretty easy to guess that Ford will aim the V8 Raptor directly at the TRX hoping to prove its place in the food chain.
