This is a truck that many Ford enthusiasts have been waiting for. The new 2023 Ford F-150 Raptor R started production, and these trucks will be reaching their new owners very soon (if not already).
This is a factory-built Predator-V8-powered off-road truck that packs a punch. The 5.2-liter supercharged V8 engine is rated at 700 horsepower @ 6,650 rpm and 640 lb-ft of torque @ 4,250 rpm. The engine sends power to the rear axle or all four wheels via an upgraded 10-speed automatic transmission (with clutch systems from the Super Duty transmission). The truck has specially tuned Raptor R driving modes, unique front springs, an upgraded front differential, FOX 3.1 Live Valve shocks, and 37-inch all-terrain tires. This is what any off-road enthusiast would put on their wish list in an ultimate pickup truck.
However, the Raptor R is missing one piece of mechanical gear that other F-150 Raptor and Tremor trucks have. The new Raptor R no longer offers a front TORSEN limited-slip differential. I ask Carl Widmann, the Raptor R chief engineer, about this in the video below. Carl says that the Raptor R uses brake distribution to control front wheel slip when or if it occurs. The selectable rear differential locker is still there.
