New Models
New Models

2022 Ford F-150 Raptor R: Supercharged V8 pick-up spied alongside Ram 1500 TRX

Supercharged V8 pick-up caught on camera being benchmarked alongside its cross-town rival, Ram's TRX.


The upcoming, V8-powered 2022 Ford F-150 Raptor R has been spied testing in the US alongside its arch-rival, the new 2021 Ram 1500 TRX.

Car makers often purchase competitors' vehicles to benchmark and compare their new models against – and it comes no surprise to see Ford testing its new F-150 Raptor R alongside Ram's 1500 TRX, as the dune-jumping, supercharged super-trucks are direct rivals for one another.

Due to be unveiled within the next 12 months, the F-150 Raptor R will differ from the 'standard' six-cylinder F-150 Raptor unveiled in February by offering a V8 engine, widely rumoured to be the 5.2-litre supercharged V8 from the US-market Mustang Shelby GT500 sports car.

It will become the first Raptor model to feature a V8 since the original F-150 Raptor ended production in 2014, with its engine to offer more than twice the displacement of Australia's Ford Ranger Raptor.

While outputs for the Raptor R have yet to be confirmed, expect figures to sit between the GT500's 567kW and 847Nm, and the 523kW/881Nm outputs posted by the rival Ram 1500 TRX.

Despite its circa-2500kg kerb weight, expect a 0-60mph (97km/h) time similar to, or a few tenths quicker than the TRX's 4.5-second claim.

Spy photos suggest styling differences between the standard and R-badged Raptors will be minimal, expected to be limited to a new grille pattern, Raptor R badging and potentially a revised beadlock-capable alloy wheel design.

Strengthened rear trailing arms to cope with the V8's additional heft and grunt have also been spotted on the prototype.

The 2022 Ford F-150 Raptor R will go on sale in the US for Model Year 2022, meaning a full debut by early 2022 is a certainty – as US vehicle model years commence around April or May the previous year, meaning MY2023 will begin in mid-2022.

Whereas the Ram 1500 TRX will be converted locally to right-hand drive (RHD) and sold in Australia, the F-150 Raptor won't reach Australian Ford showrooms, as the brand's local arm has officially ruled out RHD versions of its V6- and V8-powered performance pick-ups.


Below: The 'standard' Ford F-150 Raptor

MORE:Ford Showroom
MORE:Ford News
MORE:Ford Reviews
MORE:Ford F-150 Showroom
MORE:Ford F-150 News
MORE:Ford F-150 Reviews
MORE:Search Used Ford F-150 Cars for Sale
MORE:Search Used Ford Cars for Sale
MORE:Ford Showroom
MORE:Ford News
MORE:Ford Reviews
MORE:Ford F-150 Showroom
MORE:Ford F-150 News
MORE:Ford F-150 Reviews
MORE:Search Used Ford F-150 Cars for Sale
MORE:Search Used Ford Cars for Sale
Alex Misoyannis

Alex Misoyannis has been writing about cars since 2017, when he started his own website, Redline. He contributed for Drive in 2018, before joining CarAdvice in 2019, becoming a regular contributing journalist within the news team in 2020. Cars have played a central role throughout Alex’s life, from flicking through car magazines at a young age, to growing up around performance vehicles in a car-loving family.

Read more about Alex MisoyannisLinkIcon
Chat with us!







Chat with Agent