New Ford F-150 Raptor Answers Call of the Wild

Say hello to the most raptor-y Ford Raptor ever.

The 2021 Ford F-150 Raptor is bestowed with a number of superlatives, but the main message from Dearborn is that it’s just, well, the “most.” In advance promotional materials, Ford calls the all-new third-generation Raptor the “most off-road capable” Raptor, the “most connected F-150 ever” and the “most advanced F-150 ever.”

While Ford is waxing Rap-sodic, at least some of these claims are likely to be surpassed when the still-under-wraps Raptor R arrives in 2022. For now, though, the focus is on the redesigned ’21 Raptor and how amped Ford is to offer its latest dinosaur-themed desert truck to its customers.

Ford’s excitement starts with an increase in the Raptor’s off-roading capability (below), driven by a 3.5L EcoBoost V-6 with as-yet-unreleased horsepower and torque numbers and a 10-speed automatic transmission that, with help from a redesigned five-link rear suspension, will make driving among the cacti an easy task.

Ford knows, because as part of the Raptor’s testing the automaker took the prototype to the desert, even though that’s more than most Raptor buyers will use the truck for.

“We know our customers won’t run Baja, so we do it for them,” says Ford Truck Group marketing manager Todd Eckert.

The ’21 Raptor has seven selectable drive modes: Normal, Baja, Rock Crawl, Sport, Mud/Sand, Wet/Snow and Tow/Haul.

To make off-roading even easier, the truck offers standard Trail Control, which Eckert says is like cruise control for low-speed driving. You set a speed (up to 20 mph [32 km/h]) and Trail Control manages the throttle and brakes so the driver can focus on steering.

Available Trail 1-Pedal Drive takes this even further by merging braking and acceleration functions into the gas pedal, which eliminates the need to brake when rock crawling, for example.

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Ford’s design team took cues from the military’s F-22 Raptor fighter jet when redesigning the exterior, especially the air intakes. The front has a wide, blackout grille with stretched-out Ford letters extending from headlight to headlight. Multiple Raptor-specific graphics packages will be available.

Ford engineers made sure the Raptor’s exhaust offers a throaty engine sound, refining a “trombone loop” in the middle of the pipe to make both exhaust pipes the same length.

Four exhaust modes – Quiet, Normal, Sport and Baja – change automatically based on how the truck is being driven and the selected drive mode.

“We are especially proud of what we delivered on the exhaust,” says Raptor program manager Tony Greco. “It’s another great example of how we are always listening to our customers. They said they wanted a deeper, more menacing sound from Raptor’s EcoBoost engine, and they’re gonna get it.”

Ford isn’t yet releasing official EPA fuel economy estimates, but the company says the new Raptor will be able to go over 500 miles (805 km) on a full tank. With a tank holding 36 gallons (136 L), the Raptor will get at least 13.9 combined mpg (16.9 L/100 km).

The 2020 Ford F-150 Raptor got 16 combined mpg (14.7 L/100 km). As Greco puts it, “While fuel efficiency isn't a primary reason to buy in this segment, it’s still quite important.”

Three different 17-in. wheels will be available on the ’21 Raptor, and Ford will offer both 35- and 37-in. tires direct from the factory. The larger tires are specially designed BF Goodrich all-terrain T/A KO2 tires for improved traction and handling.

With the 35-in. tires, the Raptor can drive over 12-in. (30-cm) obstacles while the 37s offer 13.1 ins. (33 cm) of running clearance, Ford says.

If you need to power gear while in the wild, the new Raptor offers an available 2.0 kw of exportable output through Ford’s Pro Power Onboard option.

The truck’s maximum payload is 1,400 lbs. (636 kg) and it can tow up to 8,200 lbs. (3,723 kg). Both of these figures represent an increase of 200 lbs. (91 kg) over the previous-generation Raptor.

Inside, the new Raptor offers over-the-air updates to keep digital trail maps and “other off-road technologies” current in the Sync 4 infotainment system that includes Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

The truck’s Ford Co-Pilot 360 2.0 system offers advanced safety features familiar from other F-150 models, including pre-collision assist, reverse brake assist and lane keeping.

The Raptor’s all-new interior features bucket seats with larger side bolsters that can be covered by durable leather with suede accents.

The ’21 Ford F-150 Raptor comes with a three-year, 36,000-mile (57,960-km) bumper-to-bumper warranty and a five-year, 60,000-mile (96,600-km) powertrain warranty. It will be built at Ford’s Dearborn Truck Plant, and the first examples will reach dealer showrooms this summer.

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