Turbochargers work well in cool, dry places as long as their intakes are protected from dust and dirt intrusion. So, of course, Ford chose one of the world’s most inhospitable places to test the new twin turbo 2017 Raptor.
As a July 7 press release tells us, Ford has dropped the 6.2-liter V8 in favor of their 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6, rumored to make 450 hp. This is a nice bump from the 411 hp of the outgoing model’s 6.2-liter V8. Now that the new F-150 has transitioned to a mostly aluminum construction, the weight savings combined with more power will make for a more competent truck off road and greater fuel economy on the street.
Working with GM, they have also developed a new 10-speed automatic transmission for trucks that will help both companies meet upcoming fuel economy standards. Due to the hardcore suspension parts of the previous trucks, many owners pushed their cars beyond their designed limits and experienced cracks in the body and frame, so Ford chose a 66 mile closed course in the southwest that replicates many features found on the famous Baja 1000.
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The next round of testing will probably be cold weather reliability and fuel mileage proving, so stay tuned to Autofluence as more Raptor updates become available. To find a Raptor in the meantime, check out our exclusive listings.
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(Source: Ford)
