Where do new 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning, Ford Raptor, Ford Bronco, Jeep Grand Wagoneer, and Ram prototypes go for some testing and good-old fun? This time it’s the Silver Lake sand dunes in Michigan. Big thanks to Jim Wagner for sending us all of these images. It’s cool to see new prototype vehicles from different brands doing some real-world testing at the same place at the same time.
2022 Ford F-150 Lightning
The new all-electric Lightning truck can only be had with all-wheel-drive or 4WD. It has an electric motor in the front and another electric motor in the rear. It has a four-corner independent suspension, lots of skid plates, and a rear locking differential with the FX4 package. It does not have great ground clearance or aggressive all-terrain tires. Nonetheless, these Ford engineers (or a third-party prototype testing company such as Roush) are taking several F-150 Lightning prototypes to the sand dunes to see how they work and how the four-wheel-drive system needs to be tuned.
2021 Ford F-150 Raptor
The upcoming 3rd-generation F-150 Raptor is just a few months away from reaching the dealerships, and many prototypes have been seen driving around the country. This time a Raptor (and older Ford Raptor trucks) join this sand dunes outing. Many people are saying that the supercharged V8 Raptor R trucks are being tested across the country. I think most of the prototype trucks we have seen and heard so far are actually the 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 trucks with Ford’s new (equal-length) exhaust system.
2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer
It was a bit of a surprise to see the Jeep Grand Wagoneer and Jeep Wagoneer prototypes among the many Ford vehicles. Although, it is NOT a surprise to see these big and luxurious Jeep SUVs being tested off-road. We have already seen them testing on the trails of Moab, Utah.
Here is my first hands-on look at the 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning. Is it still a truck?
