The Raptor name has always meant powerful engines and incredible suspension performance, and nothing has changed with the 2021 F-150 Raptor. This truck has only grown more powerful and more capable in its third generation. From its EcoBoost engine to its FOX Live Valve shocks, this truck can take anything you throw at it in stride.
Power
Under the hood of the 2021 Raptor, you will find a High-Output 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine. This twin-turbocharged V6 offers simply incredible performance, topping out at over 450 horsepower and over 500 pound-feet of torque. With that much power under your foot, you will be able to race through rough terrain and leap through the sky with ease.
That power is channeled through a 10-speed automatic transmission that includes solid aluminum paddle shifters for instant manual gear changes. Four-wheel drive is also standard, as befits an off-road truck, and includes an innovative torque-on-demand transfer case. However, the Raptor’s four-wheel drive system is more capable than a typical truck and includes an electronic-locking rear differential and an available TORSEN front limited-slip differential. This combination provides true four-wheel grip in even the most difficult situations without the intervention of power-sapping traction control.
Suspension
Power alone does not an off-road vehicle make - if that was the case, you would see Mustangs tearing up the trails. The single most important performance feature when leaving the blacktop behind is the suspension. High ground clearance, plenty of articulation, and large grippy tires are what sets an off-road machine apart from a street vehicle - and nowhere are those features better seen than in the 2021 Ford F-150 Raptor.
The suspension has always been the feature that has set the Raptor apart from the crowd, and Ford has left its competition in the dust with the improvements found in the third-generation model. To begin with, the traditional leaf spring rear suspension of the second-generation Raptor was replaced with an all-new five-link coil spring setup inspired by Baja trophy trucks. This allows for unprecedented levels of control and a full 15 inches of suspension travel. That new suspension geometry is further enhanced by larger 3.1-inch FOX adaptive shocks for optimal performance across all terrain.
Cruise Over Obstacles
The 2021 Raptor comes standard with oversized 35-inch tires that are already among the largest you will find on a production truck. However, if you opt for the Raptor 37 Performance Package, you will get massive 37-inch BFGoodrich All-Terrain KO2 tires - the largest factory tires in its class. On top of providing more sidewall to absorb impacts, these larger tires increase the Raptor’s ground clearance from an already impressive 12 inches to an incredible 13.1 inches, with similar improvements to approach, breakover, and departure angles. This is truly a truck that is ready for the wild.