Ford Plans Intro Of Exciting New F-150 Raptor R

Even though the vehicle business has been touting and turning to electric vehicles for the last couple of years -- Ford Mustang Mach-E and Ford F-150 Lightning, to name a couple – there is still a large segment of the vehicle business that is much more traditional.

EVs Aside, There's Still Lots Of ICE Excitement

The traditional part of the business – which has millions of supporters – still believes in internal combustion engines (ICE). The segment also still believes in power, power, and more power. How else can you explain the horsepower war between the RAM and Ford? The current leader in this wide-ranging skirmish is RAM's TRX. Ford's answer to the RAM entry is the upcoming Ford F-150 Raptor R. It's entirely possible, according to Muscle Cars and Trucks (MCT), that the Ford entry will eventually take the horsepower crown from the TRX.

Auto journalists were shown the prototype Ford F-150 Raptor R last month during a drive program for the Bronco Raptor. As MCT said, the peak only helped to "fuel the excitement" over the upcoming F-150 Raptor R, which is due to debut in less than a week.

At this point, though a lot is known about the upcoming performance pickup, MCT noted in an advance story on the F-150 Raptor R that it is "hard to say what transmission" will be used with the "potent engine of the Raptor R." Speculation centers on the same seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox found on the Shelby.

However, another recent leak "points to a P702 Transmission with a new torque converter, turbine dampener and better 10R80." The tranny would remain a 10-speed, but with upgrades that have been completed to this tranny, the transmission means that this "scary fast" truck will slam into gear more quickly than the Chevy Camaro ZL1.

The Only Telltale Will Be Unique Badging

If you are seeking any unique looks for the new Raptor R, it is unlikely there will be anything special. MCT said the only thing that might be special would be the Raptor R badging this week. This does mean that since the truck is nearly a clone of the standard Raptor, the F-150 Raptor R "could be a bit of a sleeper."

The Raptor R's official intro date is Monday. "Production volume is likely to be limited, MCT concludes.

Photo courtesy of Ford Motor Co.

Marc Stern has been an automotive writer since 1971 when an otherwise normal news editor said, "You're our new car editor," and dumped about 27 pounds of auto stuff on my desk. I was in heaven as I have been a gearhead from my early days. As a teen, I spent the usual number of misspent hours hanging out at gas stations Shell and Texaco (a big thing in my youth) and working on cars. From there on, it was a straight line to my first column for the paper, "You Auto Know," an enterprise I handled faithfully for 32 years. Not many people know that I also handled computer documentation for a good part of my living while writing YAN. My best writing, though, was always in cars. My work has appeared in Popular Mechanics, Mechanix Illustrated, AutoWeek, SuperStock, Trailer Life, Old Cars Weekly, Special Interest Autos, etc. You can follow me on: Twitter or Facebook.