Ford Motor Company, America’s truck leader, last week announced horsepower and torque ratings for the all-new 2017 F-150 Raptor that will continue to position the ultimate high-performance off-road pickup in a class by itself.
Equipped with the all-new 3.5-liter twin-turbo high-output EcoBoost engine, the Raptor churns out 510 lb.-ft. of torque and 450 horsepower across a wide power band.
Mated to an all-new Ford-built 10-speed transmission and exclusive transfer case – and managed by a six-mode Terrain Management System – the 2017 F-150 Raptor makes good on its promise to deliver an exhilarating off-road performance truck and even more bragging rights with a base MSRP less than $50,000.
The dual-mode transfer case delivers a driving experience that supplies clutch-driven, on-demand all-wheel drive capability for everyday driving regardless of road conditions, while also providing the confidence of a mechanically-locked, durable four-wheel drive system for severe, off-road environments.
“Raptor was designed to be a no-compromise, off-road performance machine,” said Mat Tranter, Ford Performance engineering supervisor. “That is why we made the switch from the cast-iron V8 to the aluminum block, high-output GTDI V6 EcoBoost engine that our team tuned to add 39 horsepower and 76 lb.-ft. of torque for today’s Raptor.”
Using the same high-strength, military-grade aluminum alloy body and a fully boxed high-strength steel frame as the current F-150 trucks, the 2017 Raptor is up to 500 pounds lighter than the 2014 model. Combined with a new high-output EcoBoost engine and 10-speed transmission, the 2017 Raptor delivers a 21 percent improved average torque-to-weight ratio and a 23 percent improvement in EPA-rated combined fuel economy compared with the previous generation Raptor.
EPA estimated fuel economy ratings for the 2017 F-150 Raptor are 15 mpg city, 18 mpg highway and 16 mpg combined. Actual mileage will vary.
Further building on the power-to-weight benefits, the 2017 Raptor delivers more low-RPM torque and better optimized power bands and shift points across all two-wheel drive and four-wheel drive modes thanks to the 10-speed transmission and torque-on-demand transfer case.
“The torque-on-demand transfer case and sixmode Terrain Management System is unique to Raptor in the Ford family of vehicles,” Tranter said. “It gives you the benefit of a clutched all-wheeldrive system for easy around-town maneuverability in bad weather. Then, there’s Baja Mode, which automatically engages a mechanically locked 4X4 high, and optimizes throttle response, shifting and boost control to provide improved off-road capability. That’s definitely drawing a line in the sand.”
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