If you were to ask, “What’s the most capable off road pick up truck that can be bought straight from the factory?” there would be one answer: the Ford F-150 Raptor. The new and improved 2017 model’s price has just been announced, and it’s not as steep as some critics are saying.
The Ford Raptor is essentially what every truck guy or gal would dream of doing to their F-150. The only differences are that its pre-assembled from the factory, it has a warranty, and its parts are probably installed much better than if someone with a torque wrench and few jack stands had slapped them on. All this peace of mind can be had for a starting price of $49,520 USD.
For those unfamiliar with the truck, it’s not a Rock Crawler, and it’s not a mudding monster truck. It’s configured more like a Baja racer, meaning that it’s essentially a much more tame, manageable, and street-legal version of a SCORE trophy truck.
The 2017 Raptor comes equipped with a twin-turbo 3.5-liter V-6 that supposedly outperforms the old 6.2-liter V-8. The new engine is also accompanied by a new 10-speed automatic transmission that will allow the truck to remain in optimal RPMs during off road usage and get great gas mileage during on road usage.
Thanks to the specially tuned springs and the 3.0-inch internal bypass Fox Racing shock absorbers in place of the old 2.5-inch variants, Ford says that the new generation Raptor will have improved suspension travel over the last generation. Larger, more robust, aluminum control arms in the front of the vehicle also help the trunk excel at tackling harsh terrain.
While a starting price of $50,000 USD may sound steep for a pickup truck, one has to remember: this is a purpose built truck. Not unlike the Mustang GT350-R that was built for one purpose and one purpose only: to massacre apexes at the track. The Raptor was built to be the ultimate all terrain vehicle that can also be driven on the road, which naturally comes with a higher price.
If you begin equipping more options to the Raptor, you’ll quickly approach a price that is mid $50k. A generously equipped truck will easily run prospective customers close to if not more than $60,000 USD. Ford Dealerships are already taking orders on the 2017 Raptor and are anticipating the first wave of orders to be sold out before the fall delivery.
