When Ford redesigned the F-150 Raptor for 2017, it ditched the V8 for an EcoBoost V6 to the mild disappointment of those who believe no replacement exists for displacement. Well, that crowd may be able to let out a tentative sigh of relief because based on audio from the latest Raptor spy video, Ford’s performance truck might be getting those two extra cylinders back. There has been many customers who decided to keep the first generation Raptor to keep the V8 powertrain.
Provided by the folks at F150Gen14 is video and, more crucially, audio of a camouflaged truck with clear F-150 body lines and some suspiciously chunky tires. It’s already been confirmed that the next-gen Raptor is coming as a 2021 model so the key takeaway here is not that this truck exists but rather the sounds it’s making. It’s not really enough for us to definitively say that the next Raptor is getting a V8 but, for what it’s worth, the gravelly growl coming from this thing definitely sounds deeper than the song sung by the current model’s turbo 3.5-liter.
Have a listen for yourself. Fair warning, the audio throughout this clip admittedly isn’t great but the truck can be heard the clearest at the beginning of the video and then at a different junction around the 2:30 mark.
Not much is known about the upcoming Raptor other than the fact that it’ll naturally be based on the recently revealed, 14th-gen F-150. There have been several reports claiming the new performance truck will ditch its leaf springs for a coil-sprung rear suspension, and if it truly hopes to compete with the imminent Ram TRX, it may need more than a naturally aspirated V8. It’s believed the Ram rival will pack a supercharged Hemi V8 so, in response to this, Ford could fit the Shelby GT500’s blown 5.2-liter into the Raptor.