A new Ford F-150 Raptor is coming for 2021. It’s been confirmed by Ford, and we’ve caught prototypes testing in public wearing various camouflage wraps to conceal details. Among those details is the grille, which has become something of a mystery for the next-gen Raptor. Will it keep its larger-than-life Ford branding, or will it err on the side of modesty?
The answer to that question is easily seen in the CAD image above. Modesty with a Raptor? Pul-eeze.
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This image was posted by an administrator in the forums at f150gen14.com. It claims to be a CAD drawing of the next-gen Raptor, and while we can’t verify the source, it was posted with a real-life snapshot of a bare F-150 “body in white” front clip that looks like the real deal. The photo doesn’t include the grille, but we are shown the front fender and hood, both of which have prominent openings for Raptor-esque vents. In short, we have no reason to believe the photo and the CAD image aren’t authentic, but feel free to jump over to the forum and give it your own scrutiny.
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Ford has done an admirable job hiding the new Raptor’s details on test vehicles. The center bar looks smaller compared to the Raptors that came before, leading some (we included) to question whether Ford was opting for something fresh this time around. The new F-150 is certainly a conservative step in the styling department, and it appears the conservative trend will continue for the Raptor.
Of greater interest will be what’s behind that grille. Ford now has legitimate competition in this segment in the form of the Ram TRX, and its crosstown rival isn’t just packing a jump-happy suspension. A supercharged 6.2-liter Hellcat V8 gives the Ram a tremendous horsepower advantage versus the outgoing Raptor – specifically 702 versus 450 – and while there’s some question as to that much power being useful off-road, there’s no denying Ford’s loss of bragging rights for both bench racers and stoplight chasers.
That’s why rumors are aplenty regarding the new Raptor’s engine, or to be more precise, engines. It’s quite possible the Blue Oval will offer Raptor buyers a choice between a hybrid V6 setup similar to the Lincoln Aviator, or a version of the supercharged V8 from the Mustang Shelby GT500. Current thinking has Ford launching the Raptor with the V8, doling out between 725 and 750 hp. It would be followed by the cheaper V6 hybrid, which wouldn’t be a slouch in its own right with around 500 combined hp.
So the waiting game continues. We’re expecting Ford to reveal the next-gen F-150 Raptor early next year, but at least now we know it will still brandish bold Ford branding similar to its predecessors.