Towing and Dirt Roads with an F-150 Raptor R

Let me put it to you simply, the F-150 Raptor R is the ultimate expression of Ford Truck. That’s it. That’s the review. You can stop reading right now, and you’ll have my take away from spending two weeks and 2,500 miles behind the wheel of the 5.2L Predator Powered Super Raptor. If you’re interested in learning how we came to that conclusion, read on.

From the outside, you may assume that the Raptor R is just a Raptor 37 with more power. The reality is that it is much more than that. Ford’s engineers spent a significant amount of time retuning the suspension and the rest of the drivetrain on the R to optimize performance with the blown 5.2L under the hood. Make no mistake, this truck is the total package. It is the ultimate expression of everything a Ford Raptor is meant to be. This video review lays it all out (including some significant towing):

The exterior modifications of our “Plane Jane” Raptor R were very minimalistic, which in my eyes makes it perfect. This one came sans graphics package, making the subtle red “R’s” scattered about the exterior only visual signs that something more was lurking under the hood. You like to run in incognito mode, this is the truck for you. It was even built without a sunroof, which is exactly how I would have order it. In fact, if I were to order a Raptor R it would essentially be this exact truck.

While the suspension is re-tuned, it is essentially the same design as a standard F-150 Raptor equipped with the 37-inch tire package. The revised coil spring rear suspension of the Gen 3 Raptor is an enormous upgrade over the leaf packs of the Gen 1 & 2 trucks. As good as those earlier trucks where, the new ones are that much better. The rear coils control the big 9.75 Sterling Axle superbly, and the long trailing arms maintain massive amounts of travel. The evolution of F-150 Raptor’s suspension over the years is a text-book example of how to add value to a product without sacrificing the core functionality that made the product so popular in the first place.

However; all the above some secondary to the real crown jewel of the F-150 Raptor R, the 5.2L Supercharged Predator V8 borrowed from the S550 GT500 Mustang. To put it succinctly, that engine is what the Raptor has needed from the beginning. While the 3.5L EcoBoost is a great engine in the standard Raptor, the blown V8 in the R simply trounces it in every way (except possibly fuel economy). If you have ever owned a V8 with a positive displacement supercharger you know how addicting the instant rush of torque from that type of setup can be. In a truck like the Raptor, it’s simply intoxicating.

Then there’s the sound. The F-150 Raptor R sounds every bit as good as it looks. While the blower whine from the TVS 2650 Supercharger is fairly muted, the mode selectable exhaust provides the perfect tones for every occasion. However, we did find one situation where the Raptor’s exhaust (and this would be true of the EcoBoost Raptor as well) became a little intrusive to driving experience. While towing our No Boundaries Camper through the mountains of West Virginia (cue the John Denver music) we noticed the Raptor’s rear exit exhaust resonated off the front of the camper. Even in quiet mode the exhaust noise transferred to the cab was fairly loud when pulling a grade. Thankfully, the 5.2L V8 sounds great so the single, very-limited, downside we found with the truck was easy to overlook.

The powertrain tuning of the Raptor R is on point. Acceleration is effortless thanks to the prodigious torque provided by the positive-displacement blower. Power is on tap and available at any speed or engine RPM. This came in very handy while we were towing. We were loaded very heavily (watch our video review for the full details on our cargo load-out), but the truck never broke a sweat. Unladed, this truck rips around town. The boost hits and launches in the direction you point it. It’s everything that makes the standard F-150 great, but with a healthy dose of added power. What’s not to love?

My final take away of the Raptor R is this; if I could only own one vehicle, it would be the F-150 Raptor R. It can handle standard truck duty, and do it with a pile of supercharged V8 horsepower. It’s luxury and brute force wrapped up in a perfectly combined package. To make the experience even better; if I were to order a Raptor R, I would spec it exactly like this particular press truck was built. It’s perfect. Super subtle on the outside and missing the never used by me power sun (moon???) roof. Like I said, perfect. If you have the cash to swing on the purchase of a Raptor R I highly recommend you consider opening up your wallet. You’ll most likely find yourself loving this truck as much as me.