raptor

2017 Ford Raptor Sports New 10 Speed Transmission

Thats right folks, the 2017 Ford Raptor will have a new 10 speed transmission connected the EcoBoost power plant. The 10 speed transmission is the first of Ford's transmissions to use cast iron components allowing the transmission to further decrease the overall weight of the truck. To add to the weight loss Ford uses an integrated torque converter/turbine clutch.

Ford wants everyone to know that the new transmission built in conjunction with General Motors is Ford built. Ford says the new 10-speed will improve both acceleration and performance compared to its previous six-speed automatic transmissions. The 10 speed transmission uses wide-span gear spacing and “drag-reduction actions”, while three overdrive gears and a wider span overall that enables lower-numerical rear-axle ratios to help improve fuel efficiency.

This transmission is filled with technology such as “Smarter shift logic” and “All-new adaptive shift-scheduling algorithms that monitor more than a dozen powertrain and driver control signals in real time – ensuring the right gear at the right time for an engaging driving experience, including in sport mode.” The company also notes it will employ an integrated electric pump to work with the standard Auto Start-Stop system to improve over the previous system. Added for driver confidence will also be what is known as "Launch countdown" which allows the driver to know exactly what gear he or she is in.

Ford states that the company is investing $1.4 billion into its Livonia Transmission Plant that will retain and create 500 hourly jobs to assist with the new transmission.

Rogue Racing Starts Design and Production for 2017 Ford Raptor Products

Rogue Racing a leader and innovator within the truck and off-road community is excited to announce the start of design and manufacturing of products for the 2017 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor. Since the release of the first generation Ford Raptor the world has watched as companies have strived to build bigger and better products to improve upon an already excellent platform. Rogue Racing an innovator within the community has set itself apart with products that include innovative Front Bumpers, Rear Bumpers, and Suspension Components. Products within these categories includes five front bumper styles, two rear bumper styles, and suspension that includes the first ever bolt-on cantilever kit for a full size production truck. 

New products for the 2017 Ford Raptor from Rogue Racing will include all of the current offerings plus an innovative front suspension kit that will increase the front suspension travel numbers significantly without having to widen the track width. Other products for the 2017 Ford Raptor will include a new never seen before Front Bumper, Rear Bumper, a new Cantilever Kit and some other products that will fit right into Rogue Racing's current product offerings.

Stay tuned for more information or feel free to call us at anytime at 702-586-8050 or email us at info@rogueracing.com. 

Truck Trend: 2017 Ford F-150 raptor Features BFGoodrich T/A KO2 Tires

Source: Truck Trend

The Ford F-150 Raptor needs no introduction in the truck enthusiast community. Since the debut of the first-generation model in 2010, the Raptor has been synonymous with the ultimate in factory off-road performance. In developing the second-generation model, Ford knew it had some big shoes to fill. By all indications, the second-generation truck will top the original in almost every category. Speaking of shoes, Ford was sure not to neglect one of the most critical performance items on an off-road truck: its tires. 

Working in collaboration with BFGoodrich engineers, Ford selected the T/A K02 all-terrain tire for the new Raptor. This specific fitment features an optimized tread pattern, greater tread area than the tires on the first-generation Raptor, larger sidewall lugs, and steel and nylon belts to improve compliance and comfort on-road. Ford knows we’re suckers for action footage of trucks romping around in the sand or mud and naturally obliged us with this minute-long clip.

We know the new Raptor will be the lightest, most powerful, and most capable yet. The traditionalists may bemoan the transition from large-displacement, naturally aspirated V-8 power to turbocharged, EcoBoost V-6 power. However, we expect the boosted six to deliver performance in spades. We can’t wait to get our hands on Ford’s new off-road hero.

CNN: Ford to Sell Made-In-USA Raptor in China

Source: CNN

Starting next year, Ford will sell a redesigned version of the Raptor pickup in China, the company announced Friday. 

It will become the first version of Ford's full-sized truck-- the most popular passenger vehicle in the United States -- to be available in China. 

The new Raptor is powered by a turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 engine that produces more than 411 horsepower. It is a high-performance version of the F-150 pickup. It's modeled after desert racing trucks. 

"By introducing it to the world's largest auto market, we hope to inspire a new generation of off-road enthusiasts, and demonstrate how we are always bringing our customers new innovations," John Lawler, chairman and CEO, Ford Motor China said in a statement. 

The all-wheel-drive Raptor will have a 10-speed automatic transmission that was developed jointly by Ford and General Motors. It will have various "driving modes" -- including high- and low-speed off-road, high-performance street-driving, and "normal" for everyday use.

Rogue Racing Releases Stage 12 Ford F150 to Raptor Conversion Kit

Rogue Racing is proud to release the 2015+ Stage 12 Conversion Kit to the public. This kit allows anyone with a 2015 and newer Ford F-150 to convert their truck to have Raptor Looks and better than Raptor Performance with stronger components. This kit features full front suspension, rear suspension, body panels, and bumpers. Visit STAGE 12 for more details and specs on the kit.

Motortrend: 2017 Ford Raptor SuperCrew First Look Review

Source: Motortrend

One year after the reveal of 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor SuperCab, the Dearborn automaker has revealed the roomier SuperCrew model. The 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor SuperCrew model’s 145-inch wheelbase is 12 inches longer than the SuperCab’s bodystyle. All of that additional length has been reserved for the rear cab area, which “provides rear passengers with more legroom and comfort on the trails and more space to stow gear” than the SuperCab model, according to Ford. 

“F-150 Raptor means superior off-road capability, from rock crawling to sand running,” said Dave Pericak, Ford Performance global director. “With the addition of SuperCrew, F-150 Raptor customers can leave the pavement behind – without sacrificing comfort and space.”

Like the SuperCab model, the 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor SuperCrew is powered by the new, second-generation high-output twin-turbo 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6. The truck also features a new dual exhaust system. A new 10-speed automatic transmission backs the engine.

While Ford hasn’t revealed exact power figures for the new engine, Raj Nair, Ford group president of global product development, suggested the engine would make 450 hp. That’s 39 hp more than the first-generation Raptor’s 6.2-liter V-8 (411 hp, 434 lb-ft of torque). We expect the EcoBoost engine to make more torque than the previous V-8 as well.

Ford says the 2017 Raptor, which is based on the aluminum-intensive Ford F-150 that debuted for 2015, is up to 500 pounds lighter than the first-generation Raptor. The lighter weight and more powerful EcoBoost engine are said to make the truck quicker and more agile off-road. 

The 2017 F-150 Raptor pickup’s purpose-built fully boxed frame is said to be even stronger than that in the standard 2015 and newer F-150. In addition to its stronger foundation, the 2017 Raptor also features a 6-inch wider body for enhanced off-road stability. That wider body houses a set of 17-inch wheels wrapped in next-generation BFGoodrich All-Terrain KO2 off-road tires.

Much of the 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor’s off-road prowess is partly due to its all-new four-wheel-drive system featuring a torque-on-demand transfer case. The new Raptor’s transfer case combines a clutch-driven, on-demand all-wheel-drive system with a mechanical-locking four-wheel-drive system that routes power between the front and rear axles.

The all-new Terrain Management System features six preset modes (Normal, Street, Weather, Mud and Sand, Baja, and Rock) for different terrain and is said to be an “advanced, easy-to-use off-road mode driver-assist technology” making it “easy to drive off-road across varying terrain.”

A Torsen differential is available for the front axle, which can route power side-to-side to increase its surefootedness over obstacles or up steep grades. 

Like the first-generation model, the new Raptor features Fox Racing Shox with custom internal bypass technology. This time around the front and rear shock canisters’ diameter has increased from 2.5 inches to 3.0 inches. Ford says the new shocks have more suspension travel than the previous model’s 11.2 inches front and 12 inches rear travel. 

The 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor will be built at the automaker’s Dearborn Truck Plant and will go on sale in fall of 2016 in the U.S. and Canada.

Fox News: Ford Raptor SuperCrew is Ready to Roll Over Just About Anything

Source: Fox News

Ford may want to think about making a four-door Mustang Shelby.

The F-150 Raptor pickup was the best-selling vehicle produced by the Ford Performance division (then-known as SVT,) when it went on hiatus at the end of 2014. At that time, the SuperCrew model accounted for 80 percent of its sales, despite the trimmer SuperCab, with its small rear-access doors, being a more fitting configuration for a high performance machine.

Nevertheless, most Raptor customers clearly want as much truck as they can get. So, a year after unveiling the upcoming 2017 Raptor SuperCab, Ford has rolled out a new SuperCrew model to go with it.

Mechanically, the two are the same, and vastly different than the old truck. Built with F-150’s new aluminum construction, they each drop around 500 pounds, and come with a 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6. Ford Global Performance Vehicle Chief Engineer Jamal Hameedi says it will be more powerful than the 411 hp 6.2-liter V8 it replaces, but by how much, he won’t yet reveal.

Hameedi does assure that the truck will be quicker, faster, and better handling than the old Raptor, while retaining its focus on desert running, although serious rock-crawling capability is still in the mix. A new 10-speed automatic transmission should help it cover this varying ground.

As will its 4x4 system. The Raptor’s unique E-Locker rear differential carries over to handle high-speed, trophy truck-style 2WD sand action, and its available Torsen front diff adds traction on tough climbs. Figuring out which to use, and when, should be a snap with a new Terrain Management system that replaces the array of switches and buttons in the old Raptor and simply lets you choose from six modes that include Baja and Rock. It figures out which range to set the transfer case to, which diffs to lock, and offers an all-wheel-drive mode for everyday driving on slippery roads.

For when the going gets really tough, there’s a new 360-degree video system with a nose camera that can look over rises while you’re staring at the sky through the windshield; a set of beadlock-capable wheels will be a factory accessory; and a suspension upgraded with sturdier Fox shocks and 11.2 inches of wheel travel in front and a foot in the rear.

Even if you do scrape the fenders on tight trails, the damage shouldn’t be too bad since they’re made from ding-resistant sheet-molded composite, as were the outgoing Raptor’s. The new Avalanche Grey paint color revealed with the SuperCrew will help cover up any scratches, too, and it looks pretty mean.

No word yet on how much the 2017 F-150 Raptor will cost when it goes on sale this fall, but the last SuperCrew started at $49,000. That’s almost exactly the same price as the latest Mustang Shelby, which is also available in Avalanche Grey, but still only comes with two doors.

Car and Driver: 2017 Ford Raptor Feature

Source: Car and Driver

Ford's first F-150 Raptor hit like a meteorite when it made its debut for 2010-sudden, spectacular, and surprising. It was the first true high performance off-road pickup with factory warranty, a proud totem of badassery. Developed by Ford's Special Vehicle Team, it somehow survived both the Baja 1000 desert race and the worst economic faceplate in recent history to become a certified critical and commercial success, even if many Raptor never set a wheel off-road. We predict more of the same now that a new, lighter F-150 platform will underpin Ford's exurban pre-runner.

While many details are still guarded, the second-gen truck will launch in autumn 2016 as a 2017 model under the new Ford Performance banner. So it’s just called the F-150 Raptor now. It’s also more thoroughly engineered as a special vehicle unto itself; Ford has given it a dedicated chassis and powertrain to go with the special bodywork. 

The Raptor’s new boxed steel frame is reinforced from the normal F-150’s and will come in two sizes: the sportier 133-inch-wheelbase SuperCab and the roomier 145-inch SuperCrew. Despite the beefier frame, Ford claims that the new truck’s aluminum body (as well as the composite hood and front ­fenders) helps trim 500 pounds from its pred­ecessor’s curb weight. Considering the last Raptor SuperCab we tested weighed 6100 pounds, we’re strongly in favor of the diet.

No longer is there a big, iron-block V-8 under the hood, so that should save some weight right there. Yes, folks; the 2017 Raptor is EcoBoost only and the first recipient of a second-generation 3.5-liter V-6 with twin turbochargers and direct fuel injection. Ford says the high-powered EcoBoost engines it develops for sports-car racing influenced some of the production V-6’s improvements, including a new aluminum block and updates to the fuel system, cylinder heads, and internals. To further improve airflow, the high-output engine exhales through a true dual-exhaust system with twin outlets notched in the rear bumper.

We’ll miss the roar of the old 6.2-liter V-8, but Ford promises that the Raptor’s new turbo six will be more efficient and soundly trump the V-8’s 411 horsepower and 434 pound-feet of torque. We don’t know yet by how much, but count on loads of torque and at least 450 ponies.

Mated to the Raptor’s engine will be the first application of Ford’s 10-speed automatic transmission and a new four-wheel-drive transfer case, which will work with a terrain-mode system to configure the truck for varying conditions (mud, snow, rocks, etc.). Controlled via steering-wheel buttons and a menu in the cluster, the system will tailor the characteristics of the engine, drivetrain, stability control, and more to help weekend warriors get the most from their Raptors without rolling them down hillsides. 

All of this means nothing off-road, however, without a proper suspension. New components are decidedly robust and wider than before, with monstrous aluminum control arms up front, specially tuned springs (coils in front, leafs in back), and 3.0-inch internal-bypass Fox Racing shocks in place of the old 2.5s. Ford is coy on details, saying only that suspension travel is greater than the previous truck’s 11.2 inches in front and 12.1 at the rear, which was already sufficient for 90-mph blasts through the desert. 

Part of the previous Raptor’s appeal was that it had relatively decent road manners considering its core mission and giant tires. While the new truck will have similar footwear as before—new 17-inch wheels with 35-inch-tall BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2s—we’re told to expect a much smoother, more composed ride. Given the refinements we’ve already experienced driving the new F-150, we have no reason to doubt it.

There’s also no doubt that the new Raptor looks the part, all toned and buff in its alloy skin. It’s more than just a slab-sided F-150 with fender flares now; its haunches are much more prominent than the old truck’s. They’re about as wide as before, or roughly as broad as one and a half Fiat 500s, largely to clear the huge tires and beefier suspension. 

The Raptor’s proud “FORD” grille and array of marker lights remain, but they’re now framed in a design more finessed than the blocky first-gen truck’s. Small front and rear bumpers improve approach and departure angles, particularly the pinched-up rear end, which lends a true desert-racer look. The giant front skid plate, front fender vents, and optional bed decals carry over, but with evolved designs.

Our first look at a preproduction 2017 Raptor’s interior revealed deeply bolstered sport seats up front with contrasting stitching; some carbon-fiber accents; and a meaty, contoured steering wheel with large paddle shifters. Expect plenty of “Raptor” logos, as well as greater overall comfort and luxury than before, with all of a modern truck’s options and safety gear. 

The original Raptor’s successful four-year run made it the highest-volume SVT vehicle ever, with production nearly maxed out. It opened up new markets, including the Middle East and several government agencies. Without sharing volume specifics, Ford says all the previous buyers should be able to upgrade to the new truck, and that there likely will be manufacturing capacity available to appease additional new owners. Pricing info is similarly murky, yet the first F-150 Raptor’s relative accessibility—about 46 grand to start in 2014—was key to its charm. Don’t expect a huge leap in price; we expect base trucks will begin around $50,000, and loaded SuperCrews could reach 60 large. 

If so, that will still be a bargain for what you get. The Raptor comes from a hardy bloodline in the F-150. And it’s lighter now, so it can fly even farther.

http://www.caranddriver.com/features/2017-ford-f-150-raptor-in-depth-feature