A Ford Super Duty Raptor Could Happen One Day if Buyers Demand It
A more muscular, aggressive, off-road Ford Super Duty Raptor would certainly be a sight to behold out on the trails.
The Ford F-150 Raptor kicked off a muscle truck trend that's still going hard today, with competitors like the Ram TRX later joining the fray. While the smaller Ford Ranger has also gotten the Raptor treatment, the badge has never graced a Super Duty model. That could potentially change one day, though.
In an interview with Ford Authority, Super Duty engineering manager Aaron Bresky noted that there was no reason that a Super Duty Raptor couldn't happen. "There's nothing limiting this as far as I'm concerned, and we're always listening to our customers," Bresky said.
The 2023 Ford Super Duty Tremor is the big truck's most focused off-road performance model at present. It sports big 35-inch tires, suspension upgrades, and a winch as a factory option. The Tremor name is also present in the F-150 and Ranger lineups, where it slots in beneath the Raptor. Ford also builds a Tremor off-road package for the Maverick as well. Bresky indicated that if customers wanted more than the current Tremor offering on the Super Duty, that's something that Ford could explore.
A Super Duty Raptor would be an interesting vehicle. It would ideally have more power than other models in the range to live up to the name. It could potentially feature an uprated version of the 7.3-liter Godzilla V8. Alternatively, it could use a smaller engine in a higher state of tune, or even go for forced induction. Advanced Fox shocks and suspension would be a shoo-in to provide greater travel and control over rough terrain. Naturally, locking differentials would be a key part of the offering, too.
The challenge in building a Super Duty Raptor is finding a way to make it make sense. The Super Duty, even more so than the F-150, is very much a working vehicle. Whether that's towing big trailers or hauling huge loads, that's what the Super Duty was built to do. Building a truck that can handle that while also focusing on off-road performance driving is a tall order. In particular, it would come down to decisions like choosing rear coil or leaf springs, which would determine whether outright handling or towing ability was the focus.
At this stage, it appears that the Super Duty Raptor is merely a thought bubble. If the statements from Bresky tell us anything, though, it's that Ford's engineers aren't afraid of having some fun with the Super Duty platform if the opportunity arises.
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