2023 Ford Raptor R specs

We've known for a while that Ford was coming out with the F-150 Raptor R, a more hardcore version of the already-wild Raptor. Now, it's here, and we finally have all the juicy specs you're lookin' for.

Ford on Monday unveiled the 2023 F-150 Raptor R. Under the hood is a 5.2-liter supercharged V8 that Ford first used on the Mustang Shelby GT500. In this truck, it makes a properly ludicrous 700 horsepower and 640 pound-feet of torque. That's just 2 hp and 10 lb-ft under the Ram 1500 TRX.

Of course, a Mustang V8 would work in an F-150 without many changes, but Ford revised the Raptor R's engine a bit for use in an off-road truck. The automaker tweaked the supercharger and replaced its pulley to boost low- and mid-range torque, which is the operating range that Ford says customers use most often. A 10-speed automatic transmission is standard, delivering power to all four wheels, and Ford beefed up the torque converter to better deliver that power when and where it's needed. Ford didn't give any 0-to-60 times, but it has to be pretty close to the TRX's 4.5-second time.

Ford could've just slapped a V8 under the hood and called it a day, but the Raptor R needs to have the durability to have the absolute snot beat out of it. A larger oil pan will let the truck handle grades without worrying about oil starvation, while a larger intake and new oil cooler should help keep gases and liquids from getting too hot. The Raptor R also picks up a new front axle, a larger aluminum driveshaft, as well as an active exhaust system with pass-through mufflers and valving that changes the exhaust note based on vehicle mode.

Since the Raptor is all about blasting through the desert as fast as possible, the Raptor R's suspension looks up to that task. Fox Live Valve shocks are hiding behind those beefcake body panels, and combined with some massive coil springs, the Raptor R offers 13 inches of wheel travel in the front and 14.1 inches in the rear. Standard ground clearance is an impressive 13.1 inches, and its standard 37-inch all-terrain tires should provide plenty of grip when the asphalt disappears.

The standard Raptor's aesthetics are already quite burly, but there's always some room for improvement. On the Raptor R, Ford increased the hood's dome size by about 1 inch for better air extraction. The grille, bumpers and fender flares are painted black, while orange R badges adorn the grille, power dome and tailgate. There's also a unique graphic on the rear fenders.

Inside, there are standard Recaro seats covered in black leather and Alcantara suede. Carbon fiber adds a bit of raciness, and a unique weave keeps it from looking boring. A 12-inch touchscreen running Ford's Sync 4 infotainment system is standard, and it includes Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and over-the-air updates.

The 2023 Ford Raptor R will start production in Michigan in late 2022. However, if you're champing at the bit to get one of these trucks, order books are already open, so get your dealer on the horn. Price is still TBD, but for context, a 2022 F-150 Raptor (minus the R) starts just under $72,000, which is about the same as a TRX.

The fabled 2023 Ford F-150 Raptor R is finally here. After months of waiting, the curtains have been pulled back on the most powerful Raptor ever, complete with a 700-hp supercharged V-8 sourced from the Mustang Shelby GT500, along with a host of other upgrades.

At the heart of the Raptor R is the new powertrain. For the first time since 2014, there are eight cylinders under the hood of this truck. But it's not just any V-8. It's the same 5.2-liter supercharged engine from the Mustang Shelby GT500, the car that won our Performance Car of the Year award in 2021. But power figures are a bit different: 700 hp and 640 lb-ft of torque for the Raptor R—60 fewer horses and 15 more lb-ft than the Shelby.

That's thanks to a number of changes made to the engine to ensure it would be ready for life in a pickup that also happens to double as a desert runner. The original exhaust manifolds have been swapped out for cast stainless steel units, while the air intake has grown by 66 percent thanks to a new conical air filter. There's also a new pulley for the supercharger, a bigger oil cooler, and a deeper oil pan.

Of course, the engine isn't the only thing new on the Raptor R. The rest of the drivetrain and chassis has been subsequently upgraded to handle the extra power and speed. The 10-speed automatic transmission gets a recalibration and a new heavy-duty torque converter, while the front axle has been revamped with a new, more robust casting. It's connected to a specific larger-diameter aluminum driveshaft.

The Raptor R gets the normal Raptor's 37-inch BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2 tires as standard, with wheel travel of 13 inches at the front and 14.1 inches in the rear thanks to Fox Live Valve shocks. Ford bumped up spring rates in the front by five percent to ensure the ride quality remains the same.

Styling changes made for the Raptor R are more subtle. Most of the design carries over, but there are still a few key changes. The hood's "power dome" sits one inch higher than the standard Raptor's. There are a handful of accents throughout the exterior painted in orange, including the R badge on the grille, hood, and tailgate. There's also a specific graphics package on the rear fenders.

Inside you'll find standard Recaro seats covered in leather and Alcantara, along with genuine carbon trim on the doors, center console, and parts of the dash.

Though order books for the Raptor R open today, pricing has not yet been released. Expect the V-8-powered desert runner to cost significantly more than its base twin-turbo V-6 sibling. Production will kick off in fall 2022 at Ford's Dearborn, Michigan truck plant.

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Brian Silvestro Road & Track staff writer with a taste for high-mileage, rusted-out projects and amateur endurance racing.

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