No More SuperCab for 2021 Ford Raptor

More information continues to trickle in regarding the next-generation 2021 F-150. I’ve written extensively on what know and what we suspect regarding the 14th-generation Ford F-150.

Some of this information and speculation surrounds the next-gen Ford Raptor too. In fact, I wrote recently about a new suspension system coming to the Raptor, along with new colors and also wondering if Ford will bring a V8 engine to the Raptor family.

One thing we now know is the that two-door SuperCab configuration will be retired. Multiple outlets reported that, and leaked VIN codes that hit the internet confirm that too. The 2021 Ford Raptor will be available as a four-door SuperCrew only.

What To Expect For the 2021 Ford Raptor
In addition to the elimination of the two-door SuperCab, you can expect a total redesign of the high-performance Raptor, just as the entire F-150 line gets a redesign. However, while we expect to see the new 2021 Ford F-150 pickups this year, I would not expect to see the 2021 Raptor that quickly.

With all the production concerns with Ford right now, many products seem like they will be delayed. We already know the Ford Bronco Sport is now delayed. So that likely pushes the production and release of the Raptor down the line further.

The 2021 Raptor will have a new suspension system that should revolutionize how it performs. Ford will put a new five-link rear suspension, replacing the current leaf spring suspension.

The benefit of this suspension include better ground clearance and significantly better articulation, for off-road performance and climbing over rocky terrains. It should also make the 2021 Raptor have a smoother ride.

Will The 2021 Raptor Have a V8 or Hybrid Engine?
On the same leaked VIN codes, there was something notoriously not listed. The current Raptor has a high-output 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 engine. It was not listed as an engine option for the next generation F-150.

This does not necessarily mean that it won’t be part of the next-gen Raptor, but it was a curious omission that led many of us to wonder if a V8 engine was coming for the Raptor. Nobody at Ford would comment one way or another regarding this.

With Ram developing a Raptor rival in the Rebel TRX (which also doesn't appear to have a two-door variant), it would make sense for Ford be ready with a V8 engine to rival that truck, which will surely have a V8. The current high-output engine for the Raptor makes 450 horsepower and 510 lb.-ft. of torque. Those are good numbers and the current generation Raptor is my all-time favorite truck, but still, if Ram is raising the bar, then Ford must also try to keep up.

Could Ford power up the 2021 Raptor with some kind of hybrid technology? I wrote yesterday about how the 2021 Ford F-150 Hybrid will not be a plug-in but simply a standard hybrid, with likely more power and performance. Could Ford put such an engine, with performance modifications into it and offer a hybrid version of the Raptor? That is possible. But of course that’s nothing more than speculation and totally unconfirmed.

What is clear is that the Raptor will have new looks, which include the elimination of the SuperCab. Personally I’m okay with that. I know there are two-door truck fans out there, but I never much understood (outside of work trucks) why someone would want two doors and a smaller cab instead of a four-door bigger cab.

Getting rid of the SuperCab for the 2021 Raptor makes good financial sense for Ford. Will this deter you from buying one? Were you a fan of the SuperCab? Leave me a comment and let me know.

Jimmy Dinsmore has been an automotive journalist for more than a decade and been a writer since the high school. His Driver’s Side column features new car reviews and runs in several newspapers throughout the country. He is also co-author of the book “Mustang by Design” and “Ford Trucks: A Unique Look at the Technical History of America’s Most Popular Truck”. Also, Jimmy works in the social media marketing world for a Canadian automotive training aid manufacturing company. Follow Jimmy on Facebook, Twitter, at his special Ford F-150 coverage on Twitter and LinkedIn. You can read the most of Jimmy's stories by searching Torque News Ford for daily Ford vehicle report.