![](https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/18/Ram-vs-Raptor-Hero-1.jpg?w=1920)
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The mega-horsepower pickups arms race is swole like Venice Beach on a Saturday. The Ram TRX has been the de facto factory pick for anyone wanting a supercharged V8 desert truck, although we’ve known for a year now that Ford would soon bring its own entry to the fight. The Blue Oval has now reentered the chat with its new 2023 Ford F-150 Raptor R. To be fair, the regular Raptor has been around for plenty long enough to be considered a high-horsepower pickup—but 700 horsepower is rarefied lower troposphere air.
So how do the pickups compare? The top-shelf numbers don’t tell the whole story: Ram’s 702 horsepower and 650 pound-feet from a supercharged 6.2-liter V8 play a couple of trump cards on Ford’s 700-hp, 640 lb-ft 5.2-liter supercharged V8. Does 2 hp matter? Maybe. We’ll know more when we drive them. But if numbers were the only thing that mattered, “Rocky IV” would have been a much different movie. Let’s dive in.
![](https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/17/2023-F-150-Raptor-R_exterior_-Antimatter-Blue_-04.jpg?strip=all&quality=95)
2023 Ford F-150 Raptor R
- Price: $109,145
- Horsepower: 700
- Torque: 640 lb-ft
- Transmission: 10-speed SelectShift automatic
- Wheel travel: 13 inches (front), 14.1 inches (rear)
- Max ground clearance: 13.1 inches
- Off-road angles: 33.1° approach, 24.4° breakover, 24.9° departure
- Wheelbase: 145.4 inches
- Dimensions: 232.6 inches long x 87 inches wide x 80.6 inches tall
- Max towing: 8,700 pounds
- Max payload: 1,400 pounds
- Tires: LT37x12.5R17LT BFGoodrich AT T/A K02
![](https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/17/RM022_266FNrvj870vt1n454mki6mprfos9g1.jpg?strip=all&quality=95)
2022 Ram 1500 TRX
- Price: $80,685
- Horsepower: 702
- Torque: 650 lb-ft
- Transmission: Eight-speed TorqueFlight automatic
- Wheel travel: 13 inches (front), 14 inches (rear)
- Max ground clearance: 11.8 inches
- Off-road angles: 30.2° approach, 21.9° breakover, 23.5° departure
- Wheelbase: 145.1 inches
- Dimensions: 232.9 inches long x 88 inches wide x 80.9 inches tall
- Max towing: 8,100 pounds
- Max payload: 1,310 pounds
- Tires: 325/65/R18 AT Goodyear Wrangler
If any of the above factors into your buying decision, you’re likely in the minority. Like candy bars and room service, these aren’t rational purchases.
![](https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/17/2023-F-150-Raptor-R_exterior_-Antimatter-Blue_-07-1.jpg?strip=all&quality=95)
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![](https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/17/2023-F-150-Raptor-R_interior_01-1.jpg?strip=all&quality=95)
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Nonetheless, we consider both in a vacuum outside real-world money. The F-150 Raptor R is sure to be a hit because people have begged for a V8 in the Raptor ever since Ford took it away for the second-gen truck. Its 700 horsepower is shifted through a numerically superior, although somewhat indecisive 10-speed automatic transmission. The same goes for its factory 37-inch shoes, which are larger than the TRX’s 35s, and the F-150 Raptor R has suspension travel longer than a front-porch yarn from granddad. We can assume that Ford’s Baja race program has gifted the Raptor R some real-world advantage; its 13.1-inch ground clearance is downright impressive.
Even though the Ford F-150 Raptor R is the new kid on the block, its $109,145 starting price can’t be ignored. That’s a huge amount more than the TRX costs, and while people are still going to buy them without thinking twice, it’s a crucial moment when a half-ton truck crosses the six-figure MSRP threshold. And unless buyers work with dealers that honor the sticker price on every order, they’re likely to pay a lot more for Ford’s hottest pickup.
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The Ram TRX benefits from its long time on sale and the aforementioned power advantage, which is surely important among spec hunters and armchair racers. There’s no second-guessing the Hellcat engine’s prowess and ability—that much is clear in the numbers. What may be overlooked is the Ram’s TorqueFlight eight-speed automatic, which is a ZF box and a first-ballot hall-of-famer in nearly every application.
What the Ram also has is the skeleton and dressing of a comfortable pickup, first and foremost. Among the domestic pickups, the Ram 1500 continues to impress in pretty much every way. This generation of F-150 Raptor is pretty special too, of course, and the Raptor R takes it a step further with pretty much all the niceties as standard.
We’re hard-pressed to pick a winner now. The Raptor R signals a return for a V8 to the Raptor and an impressive one at that from the GT500. The Ram TRX pairs an excellent pickup with a certifiably superlative power plant.
Who wins? Tough to say right now, but one loser is certain: Your wallet. Neither are cheap. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.
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