Ford Raptor R First Drive: Off

May 27, 2023

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Answering years of cries from Raptor enthusiasts, the 2023 Ford F-150 Raptor R is here and it brings the noise, the V-8 power, and the Baja-inspired off-road goods you need to throw it down hard in the dirt. The 2023 Ford F-150 Raptor R is largely based on the third-generation Raptor 37, released in 2021. Raptor 37 brought a linked suspension with trailing arms and a Panhard bar, class-leading coil springs, and the latest Fox Live Valve 3.1 shocks, supplementing the option to equip the truck with 37-inch tires. Though the rolling-stock and suspension improvements bolstered the Raptor's off-road chops, the EcoBoost V-6 still left many wanting more than Raptor 37 could offer.

Related: Ford Bronco Raptor Is Better Than Your Jeep Wrangler

Ford heard these pleas, and told us that it was the Raptor 37's chassis and suspension that made adding V-8 power possible. About that engine—the 5.2-liter supercharged Predator V-8 makes 700 horses and twists out 640 lb-ft of torque under the hood of the Raptor R. The engine is an evolution of the mill found in Ford's Mustang GT500, and many details, including the horsepower, were changed to fit the Raptor R application. Up top sits an Eaton TVS R2650 water-cooled supercharger badged specifically for Raptor R and good for up to 12 psi of boost. The supercharger pulley diameter has been reduced by 7 percent to spool it up more quickly and bring in the 640 lb-ft of torque at a lower rpm, where a truck user is more likely to put it to work. The intercooler for the supercharger fits conveniently where the 3.5-liter's charge air cooler fit in Raptor 37, and the new system reuses the air cooler's old fans.

Durability drove many changes to the engine including opting for cast stainless-steel exhaust manifolds compared to the tubulars on the GT500. The cast-aluminum oil pan got a volume increase and a deep sump to maintain oil flow even through high-angle off-road situations, and the engine's oil cooler has been tied into the Raptor's cooling circuit to better maintain oil temperatures. This system is optimized more for towing than the track performance-oriented oil-to-air cooler in the GT500. In its on-road application, the 5.2-liter uses a flat-plane crankshaft which, among other things, tends to be better-suited for higher rev-limits. Raptor R uses a cross-plane crankshaft specific to the truck, a design which lends more of a traditional muscle car exhaust note. Rounding out the list of Raptor R-specific upgrades to the mill are the new viscous aluminum crankshaft balancer and an oil dipstick angled toward the front of the engine bay for easier access. Aluminum materials throughout the engine contribute to keeping the overall weight within 100 pounds of the Raptor 37's V-6 package.

In the competitive space of high-horsepower, go-fast off-roaders, why was 700 horsepower the golden number for the Raptor R? First, the engineers reminded us that the Raptor was built to fly and that a ton of weight up front (bigger engine) doesn't necessarily bode well for keeping things level during jump events. Next, when comparing the Raptor R's 700 horses to the 760 put out by the 5.2-liter in the GT500, power figures for the truck were constrained, in part, by cooling and breathing systems. In short, exhaust gasses must travel farther before they're pushed out the truck's tailpipe. Assembly of the Raptor R's 5.2-liter engine has now moved from the Romeo Engine Plant to its own assembly line in Dearborn, Michigan.

Approaching Raptor R from the outside, Ford is subtle about reminding onlookers what's powering the beast. Badging on the grille and tailgate, as well as Code Orange towhooks up front, separate Raptor R from its siblings, and a raised (and functional) air extractor on the hood's power dome hints at what's beneath. Raptor R's bedsides sport graphics that are inspired by cracked mud in the desert—the terrain Raptor R was designed to conquer—and looking closer at the bedsides reveals a pattern of scattered 8s with a single "V8" hidden among them per side. In the name of symmetry, the final "R" in "Raptor" appears in Code Orange on the driver side, while on the passenger side "Raptor" graphic, the leading "R" is orange.

After pining for years, Raptor fans can now enjoy every decibel of the V-8's powerful exhaust tone as it exits through redesigned 4-inch, painted and packed tips. Triple-exit pipes on the muffler are shared with Bronco Raptor, and to keep Raptor R's on-road exhaust note within legal limits, there are bottle resonators fore and aft of the muffler. Further, the active valve system Raptor enthusiasts have come to know continues in Raptor R with the steering wheel controls and modes for Quiet, Normal, Sport, and Baja exhaust tones.

The 2021 Raptor 37 brought the suspension tech that made Raptor R possible, and both trucks share the same Fox 3.1 Live Valve shock system which maintains the 3.1-inch-diameter shock bodies, PTFE-infused ultra-low-friction oil, increased oil volume, and the stout 1-inch shafts. Raptor R's shocks are, however, uniquely tuned to respond to inputs from the V-8. To address the additional weight of the powerplant, the spring rate in the front coils has increased by 5 percent. Wheel-travel figures of 13 inches in the front and 14.1 inches out back remain unchanged from the 2021 Raptor 37.

Further changes to Raptor R over its predecessor include a reinforced front axlehousing and a Raptor R-specific finned-aluminum differential cover for heat dissipation. Ford ousted the Torsen differential option for the front, citing its ability to better control traction with electronic brake inputs. The rear axles, axlehousing, the electronic locking differential, and the 4.10:1 gear ratio carry over from Raptor 37, along with the braking and steering components. Four-wheel drive is delivered through the same transfer case but the 10-speed SelectShift automatic transmission received upgraded clutch systems from its sibling in the Super Duty lineup. Power is delivered to the rear axle via the 4-inch-diameter driveshaft, which increased about an inch in diameter over Raptor 37. Raptor R comes with class-leading 37-inch BFGoodrich T/A KO2 all-terrains from the factory, which contribute to its 13.1 inches of ground clearance, 33.1-degree approach angle, and 24.9-degree departure angle.

Dark tones from the exterior continue inside Raptor R, where triaxial-weave carbon fiber trims the doors, media bin door, and upper parts of the instrument panel. Recaro seats are standard and the black leather and Alcantara suede help grip the driver over rough terrain.

We fired up the Raptor R in western Michigan, where we cruised the twisted backroads through fall foliage. Before even nearing dirt, the truck pasted us back into the Recaro seats from nearly every red light, and even with 37-inch rubber underfoot the behavior through turns was impressive. Also important: There's no longer any shame in revving the engine at the stoplight to let the true V-8 music play to the world. Silver Lake State Park is home to miles of OHV-friendly dune trails, and Raptor R showed off its capabilities over the varying terrain. Toggling into Baja mode afforded us four-wheel drive as well as steering, suspension, transmission, and exhaust tuning designed to deliver a unique off-road experience.

Putting your foot to the floor in the sand was exactly what we had always wanted out of the Raptor. The snarl of the pipes, the immediate surge forward as all four tires bit the ground, and the subsequent disconnect between the unforgiving terrain and what's felt inside the cab. Raptor R smoothed-out ruts and washouts at speed mostly without issue. Even the bigger hits that could normally spell "bottom-out" for lesser 4x4s were absorbed by the Fox shocks. There always seemed to be more power on tap whether we were mirror-to-mirror on the straightaway sand drag or charging up a dune climb. Raptor R's forward-facing camera was especially useful when cresting hilltops where all we could see through the glass was blue sky. Though it takes a few button-presses to access within the menu screens, Trail Turn Assist helped us reduce the Raptor R's turning circle to an impossibly small donut. We even found Sport mode to be a riot in the dirt since it defaults to automatic four-wheel drive instead of 2-Hi, like it does in Raptor 37.

A day with the Raptor R wouldn't be complete without going airborne, and we pushed the needle well past 50 mph before reaching a jump event. While spectators ogled the suspension droop, the in-cab experience was calm and collected as the Raptor sensed the lack of terra firma beneath the tires and softened the dampers ahead of our landing. While not the most advanced in the go-fast truck space, the Fox Live Valve shocks handled most everything the dunes had to offer with much composure. There was, however, an instance, when squaring-up to slice a dune and charging over some especially gnarly ruts, where the truck pulled power in such a way that all momentum for the climb was lost. Throttle response returned after a brief moment, and we took note of the truck's self-preservation tactic.

With trophy trucks as its inspiration, Raptor R succeeds in likely being more truck than most drivers will ever need. It can tow, it can haul, its aesthetics are bold and muscular, and that's all backed by a powertrain and suspension truly fit for traveling highway speeds off-road. Though you're not getting the highest horsepower figures in the game or the latest in shock tech, for any true Raptor fans, this is it. Raptor R looks like a badass truck should look, and has the unruly power, go-fast capability, and wild sound you certainly don't need, but want all the same.