Yahoo Autos 2021 Ford F-150 Raptor revealed, packing EcoBoost power, coil suspension and factory 37s
The new Ford F-150 Raptor is the latest iteration of Ford's trophy-truck-inspired nameplate. The 2021 model emerges from the far side of Ford's overhaul of its entire F-150 lineup looking on paper like merely an update of last year's truck, but while the changes may be largely evolutionary, their impacts could prove to be revolutionary. The powertrain may largely carry over from 2019, but new features like a completely redesigned, coil-based suspension and 37-inch factory tire option will turn some heads.
"Raptor is the original desert truck. We just took it to another level," said Ali Jammoul, Ford Performance vehicle program director. "The all-new Raptor splices high-speed off-road performance muscle with advanced technology and connectivity that come together in a unique Built Ford Tough way."
By far, the biggest news here is the Raptor's rear suspension, which is now a coil-sprung, five-link setup employing extra-long trailing arms and a Panhard rod along with Fox Live Valve internal-bypass shocks with double the damping capability of the outgoing truck's. The new coil springs should also substantially improve the Raptor's on-road manners, keeping it in line with Ram's 702-horsepower TRX in the ride and handling department, at least.
Ford bases the Raptor on the same fundamental frame as the max-payload variant of the base F-150, but the Raptor gets unique reinforcements and re-engineering out back to accommodate the coil suspension. Sorry, max-payload F-150 owners, but you won't be swapping in the Raptor's rear setup without some custom fabrication; anything is possible with enough time and money, right?
Thanks to this new setup, total suspension travel now checks in at 14 inches up front and 15 in the rear — up from 13" and 13.9", respectively, for the outgoing truck. That's for Raptors with the standard 35-inch tire setup; the 37-inch option drops those to 13" up front and 14.1" in the rear.
Like the rear suspension, the 37-inch wheel and tire package is more than just a bolt-on affair. Opting for it will pigeon-hole you into a bed/subframe configuration that was engineered specifically to clear the larger-diameter tires, and it also comes with an even beefier variant of the standard Fox shocks. So, while Ford may be offering the truck with 37s from the factory, that doesn't mean you can just mount 37s (OEM or otherwise) to any old Raptor.
