2023 Ford F-150 Raptor to Offer Supercharged V-8

Ford’s F-150 Raptor has been on the scene for more than a decade, and has only recently been eclipsed in off-road pickup dominance. Fans have been begging the Blue Oval brand to bring back the V-8 engine to the halo truck since the second generation debuted for the 2017 model year with a twin-turbo V-6. For 2023, the clamoring seems to have paid off, with Ford set to launch a Raptor R with a supercharged V-8 to compete with the likes of Ram’s Hellcat-powered TRX.

The Raptor launched in 2009 for the 2010 model year with either a 5.4-liter V-8 that made 320 hp and 390 pound-feet of torque, or a 6.2-liter mill that made 411 hp and 434 pound-feet of torque. From 2011, the 6.2 was the sole option. After a two-year hiatus, the Raptor returned in its second generation for the 2017 model year. Much to fans’ chagrin, Ford used the Raptor to showcase its EcoBoost 3.5-liter twin-turbo V-6. The powerplant makes plenty of grunt, with 450 hp and 510 pound-feet of torque, but the sound of the prior model’s V-8 was sorely missed.

In 2022, the third-generation F-150 Raptor debuted, with the 3.5-liter soldiering on as the only engine choice. The exhaust was revised for better sound, but it can’t compete with its closest rival—Ram’s beastly, Hellcat-powered 1500 TRX. With 702 hp and 650 pound-feet of torque, the TRX easily overshadows the Raptor in both power and, thanks to the Hellcat’s endless roar, theater. With the Raptor R, Ford is fighting back. It’s rumored to use the Mustang GT500′s “Predator” 5.2-liter, supercharged V-8 and deliver around 750 hp, Ford Authority reports. The production line seems to be getting ready for a monster F-150 Raptor, and a window sticker confirms it’s on the way. We can’t wait.

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