2023 Ford F-150 Raptor R First Look: Who's the Predator Now?

There are two desert race teams I work with. One has a V8 and twin turbo 6 Raptor, and the other a brand new TRX. They all have prerun/chase duties. The TRX is cool, but comparing it to a Raptor isnt really apples to apples. If the two trucks were cutting tools, the TRX would classify be between a butter/steak knife and the Raptor would be closer to a scalpel.

And the money for both trucks seems dumb unless you can justify it. It all comes down to picking the proper tool for the job. If you want to go fast showroom stock in the desert and dont want to build something, you get the Raptor. A little Fox shock tuning even makes it more superior.

I myself couldnt spend that kind of money on something that wasn't a crew cab DRW diesel. But the Raptor is absolutely no joke when it comes to go fast off road.
 
I was doing a lot of work with Ford when the Raptors were hitting the market, so I've kinda been partial to them, though I have close to 0 interest in owning race trucks. I only have a little experience with superchargers, but I don't like them and I'm not a huge fan of forced induction and added complexity to gas engines and transmissions if I'm going to be off-road without a support crew.

I'm a slow and steady kind of truck guy. I want low end torque and I don't want to obsess over refueling stops so I tend to gravitate to diesels, though the politicians have pretty much ruined the new ones so I just grit my teeth and repair my old stuff and every time I drive my wife's Tacoma, I dream of swapping out that engine for something with torque and give the current engine to some mini-van/SUV owner.
 
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All depends on what yer in to. You going to Home Depot or La Paz :D

Box is now some sort of phobic sexist nonsence...I identify as he/him/short bed/class 4 :censored:

Eight foot box has room for Honda quad and a bull moose. 💪🇨🇦 Short box . . . hit the GVW with sissy-boy golf clubs, but hey! you'll look good to others of that creed. 💄 👄
 
Eight foot box has room for Honda quad and a bull moose. 💪🇨🇦 Short box . . . hit the GVW with sissy-boy golf clubs, but hey! you'll look good to others of that creed. 💄 👄
I'm surprised Trudeau still let's you hunt moose. I figured you could only get mousse.

Actually every truck I've ever bought had an 8ft bed, but I prefer 4 doors more than the 8 ft bed and if you're looking for anything under 3/4 ton I'm not sure you can get the added passenger capacity/4 doors with 8ft beds. When you have farm tags in my area, they'll let you do pretty much what you want. I tend to do a lot more towing anyway, because 8ft just isn't enough in so many cases.

Also when you get into 8 ft bed and 4 doors, it's a little bit harder in parking lots but to each their own. I think 2 doors actually look better than 4 doors, but the utility/versatility is much better IMO with 4 doors.
 
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I'm surprised Trudeau still let's you hunt moose. I figured you could only get mousse.

Actually every truck I've ever bought had an 8ft bed . . . . .

I think 2 doors actually look better than 4 doors, but the utility/versatility is much better IMO with 4 doors.
Loaded a big moose bull whole (field dressed) into the back of my son's Dodge/Cummins. Trudeau can fuck himself. I hunt moose when we need the meat. A regular cab 4x4 with an 8ft. box is the quintessential 'truck' . . . . . sissy-man golf clubs are the perfect load for that 700hp/140tq mall cruiser F150 4door 'truck' 💄 💋

🇨🇦:cool:
 
I think this is one of the best looking trucks.

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As far as a modern truck for utility/versatility I really like some kind of flatbed 3/4 ton or larger truck. Just so much they can do. They probably wouldn't be the best choice for backcountry travelling but they're a must around the farm.

For the best of both worlds I'd love to have a 6BT in a truck like that with beefed up everything but still look a bit like a Willy's.