The Ford F-150 Raptor is one of the most impressive vehicles on (and off) the road, so if you are looking for Ford trucks for sale, this is one to consider. If you’re not already familiar with its legendary reputation, the Ford Raptor is one of the best off-road performers ever made. It was entered into the Baja 1000 as, essentially, a stock version of the truck, so you know this is a truck that is made for serious off-road conditions. But what happens when you start to add optional features, or ROUSH or Hennessey get their hands on this truck?
Well, let’s take a look at just how crazy this vehicle can get. The F-150 Raptor can already go just about anywhere you drive it, with its big all-terrain tires, widened F-150 body, and long-travel suspension. And it’s not just an amazing truck off-road; its on-road characteristics feature impressive ride comfort and many available luxury amenities and conveniences. So while the custom packages from ROUSH and Hennessey are exciting and make for an exceedingly fun truck, you can also have some fun with the optional packages offered from Ford.
The 2020 Ford F-150 Raptor
Part of the excitement surrounding the customizable options is due to enthusiasts wanting a bigger engine—or, more specifically, a big V8—in the Raptor. The High-Output 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 with 450 hp and 510 lb-ft of torque comes as the standard engine in the Ford Raptor. This will be plenty of engine for most people. It can go from 0-60 mph in as little as 5.1 seconds. You’ll also find this engine in Ford’s GT supercar, so it really is a beast of an engine.
The powertrain also comes with a paddle-shifted 10-speed automatic transmission to turn this truck into a true workhorse. It can tow up to 8,000 lbs and has a payload capacity of 1,200 lbs. These are big numbers for a truck that is not designed with towing and payload in mind—its components are better suited for the Baja 1000 than the rock yard. But with such power and amazing build quality and suspension, it manages to still put up impressive numbers. You don’t see the Jeep Gladiator Rubicon towing 8,000 lbs, but the Raptor manages this with no problem. In fact, the Gladiator Rubicon can only tow 7,000 lbs, so if you’re looking for the best off-road vehicle that can handle just about anything else you ask of it, the Raptor is the clear choice.
The Raptor’s incredible power and other capabilities aren’t diminished by poor fuel efficiency when you consider the segment’s V8 competitors. It’s rated at 18 MPG on the highway, so you won’t have to reserve this beast for weekend excursions, you’ll be able to take your kids to school and commute to work. The long-travel suspension system will also give you a smooth ride wherever you go, with 13-inch suspension travel in the front and 13.9 inches of travel in the back. This helps clear debris on off-road trails, but also provides the family with the comfort expected from a daily driver.
Inside you can expect the same luxury options that you will find in the Ford F-150, so luxury abounds in the cabin. Ford’s excellent infotainment system, Sync 3, comes with an 8-inch touchscreen and integrates with Apple CarPlay and Android Audio. Inside you’ll also find a 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot and six auxiliary plugs in the overhead console, which allow you to hook up accessories like an air compressor.
2020 ROUSH Raptor
So let’s see what happens when the Raptor gets an aggressive aesthetic treatment from ROUSH, complete with off-road tech and style. This is, as ROUSH states, an “unapologetically aggressive” truck. The Raptor, ROUSH says, is the most off-road capable vehicle in their lineup, which says something about the stock truck they’ve modified, because ROUSH features some incredible off-road vehicles.
What you’ll find in the Raptor package, which starts at $16,500, is a front-brake package by Alcon with black calipers and upgraded rotors and pads. This adds stopping power and allows for more spirited driving. It also comes with split-spoke wheels with black-trim and red-trim rings, so you change the look of your wheels. The tires are 35” General Tire Grabber A/TX, aggressive enough for off-road while still smooth on pavement.
Inside, you’ll find premium black leather and suede with debossed ROUSH logos, a custom gauge cluster, and red stitching. For cargo concerns, there’s an optional retractable aluminum bed cover that opens in a matter of seconds and a cargo manager to hold cargo in place as you drive.
Hennessey VelociRaptor
Velociraptors were speedy and efficient hunters with superior intelligence, and the Hennessey VelociRaptor isn’t so different. Its engine is a good example of its superior intelligence and quickness as it replaces the EcoBoost V6 with a supercharged 5.0-liter V8. While the V6 in the current Raptor has more power than the V8’s in previous Raptor models, enthusiasts still wanted a big V8, so Hennessey dropped a 758 hp engine into the VelociRaptor. This engine features an aftermarket tuner that adds a 2.9-liter supercharger to the V8, producing a seven psi boost. The resulting 0-60-mph-time is 4.1 seconds.
“We are so excited to introduce our VelociRaptor V8—the first and only V8-powered Gen 2 Ford Raptor,” said company founder and CEO, John Hennessey. “Our customers have been begging for a V8 option for their new Raptors since the truck first came out in early 2017. We heard their calls and are so pleased to meet this need in the market. The sound of the VelociRaptor V8 is so worth it!”
Hennessey Performance Engineering is one of the country’s leading tuners, and you can see why. Upgrades do not stop with the engine, however, as the VelociRaptor V8 adds 20-inch alloy wheels and 37-inch BF Goodrich KM03 off-road tires. Also included is Ford’s 10-speed automatic transmission along with Ford wiring harnesses and ECU, air-to-water intercooler, a fuel injector upgrade, fuel system upgrade, and chassis dyno tuning and road testing, among other features. It also comes with a 3-year/36,000-mile limited warranty.
Degrees of Awesomeness
With the Ford Raptor, you are simply deciding on degrees of awesomeness. How awesome do you want to make your truck? Do you need it to be the baddest vehicle ever made—the most menacing vehicle on the face of the earth? Or are you ok with it just being able to run the Baja 1000 virtually right out of the factory? These are not difficult choices, because there is no wrong choice. All versions of the Ford Raptor are out-of-this-world, mind-blowing vehicles.
And when you consider that the 2020 Ford F-150 Raptor starts at just $53,455, this is a choice that a lot of people will get to make. The relatively affordable starting price allows many people to get into a base Raptor, which comes with an impressive amount of standard features. These features include trail control, Fox variable damping off-road shocks, and a rearview camera, among other inspiring standard offerings. So no matter what version of the Raptor you choose, whether it’s fit for prehistoric or modern off-road trails, you can’t go wrong. This is a truck built to conquer everything in its path.
