{"id":32753,"date":"2024-05-27T17:39:57","date_gmt":"2024-05-27T21:39:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/?p=32753"},"modified":"2024-05-27T16:54:17","modified_gmt":"2024-05-27T20:54:17","slug":"payne-supertruck-ford-raptor-r-is-king-of-beasts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/2024\/05\/payne-supertruck-ford-raptor-r-is-king-of-beasts","title":{"rendered":"Payne: Supertruck Ford Raptor R is King of Beasts"},"content":{"rendered":"

Johnson Valley, California<\/em>\u00a0\u2014 Supercars conquer the Earth\u2019s most challenging race tracks. Supertrucks conquer the Earth.<\/p>\n

At 90 mph, my 2024 Ford F-150 Raptor R cyborg skimmed the sandy, undulating surface of the Johnson Valley desert miles from civilization. With its electronic brain making millisecond calculations, the Baja racing-developed, dual-valve Fox shocks negotiated the terrain with remarkable agility for a 6,000-pound beast.<\/p>\n

With 13.5 inches of suspension travel, the V8-powered Raptor R put its massive 720 horsepower to the ground with four, aired-down-for-maximum-traction, 37-inch all-terrain claws. That\u2019s McLaren 720S supercar-sized horsepower. On sand.<\/p>\n

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Light it up. The 2024 Ford F-150 Raptor R in the Dunes. James Lipman, Ford<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

The trail narrowed to a 90-degree turn into the desert\u2019s low brush and I stomped on huge 14-inch brakes to slow the 720 horses. I hurtled a washed ravine. WHUMP. Over a series of washboard ruts created by bike trails crisscrossing the desert. KA-KA-KA-THUMP. Back into the throttle. ROAAARRR.<\/p>\n

Comfortably removed from the violence outside by a seat belt, bolstered heated-and-cooled Recaro seats and generous headroom, I focused on the beautiful landscape rushing past \u2014 one of a half-dozen Raptor Rs on a desert adventure.<\/p>\n

Pinch me.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/figure>\n
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The 2024 Ford F-150 Raptor R gets a fearsome new front end. Henry Payne, The Detroit News<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

The $112,895 R (one-third the price of that McLaren 720S, while seating five comfortably) is the world’s premier production supertruck. It sits atop a Raptor food chain that now includes the $57K Ranger Raptor, $80K twin-turbo V-6 \u201cbase\u201d Raptor and $92K Bronco Raptor.<\/p>\n

Like its supercar peer the Mustang GT500, Raptor R stuffs a 5.2-liter, supercharged V-8 \u201cPredator\u201d engine into the front bay of a $35,000 base production vehicle to push the limits of production performance. Unlike the GT500, the Raptor R is built on a ladder-frame truck. Is there anything that has the bandwidth of a Ford pickup?<\/p>\n

No wonder the F-series is the best-selling vehicle in North America. It can do everything from landscape a house to tow a race car to shred a desert race course \u2014 taking first place in the 2023 Baja 1000 Stock Class.<\/p>\n

When 720 horsepower meets sand, sometimes Mother Nature gets the upper hand.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/figure>\n
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The 2024 Ford F-150 Raptor R kicked off a tire under high G-loads on the Johnson Valley Dunes. Henry Payne, The Detroit News<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Scaling a skyscraper dune, I pitched the Raptor into the soft sand to begin a long, lefthand drift turn. Too much pitch. Overwhelmed by the side-G-forces and the Raptor R\u2019s three-tons, the BF Goodrich tire bead popped off the rim, instantly expelling its 25 pounds of air pressure.<\/p>\n

Who needs four wheels? But for the rattle of the rim I barely noticed, the truck charging along on three-wheel-power like a determined grizzly bear pursuing its prey. A Ford team member flagged me down. Like a NASCAR pit stop in the middle of the desert, a pair of Baja race veterans hauled a spare out of the bed of another truck and went to work. They raised the beast\u2019s prone right paw into the air with a common \u201cscissor\u201d jack. Dug out a hole of sand underneath. Spin off the lug nuts. Replace the tire. Check the air pressure for (sand-running-friendly low 25 PSI). Get back on the dunes, kid.<\/p>\n

Those off-road veterans could be you.<\/p>\n

\"Detroit<\/figure>\n
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Detroit News columnist Henry Payne took the 2024 Ford F-150 Raptor R for a heckuva ride in the Johnson Valley, California desert. Henry Payne, The Detroit News<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

For all of its technological marvels, the Raptor R has been through the paces of Baja to not only absorb punishment, but to quickly fix any boo-boos on the way. Like supercars, you can\u2019t imagine the capability of the Raptor R supertruck until you have taken it off-road. And there are plenty of groups willing to accompany you \u2014 whether the Ford-sponsored Raptor Assault School in Utah (open to Raptor buyers) or private shops like Raptor Adventures in Southern California or regional Raptor Club-organized RaptorRuns. Find them, and you\u2019ll enjoy parts of the planet like never before.<\/p>\n