Again within the early 2000s after I was a wee lad, I used to be obsessive about the 4×4 Evolution online game collection, which I performed on our Mac laptop. In each video games you’ll buy, improve and race principally each American and Japanese truck and SUV available on the market on fictional off-road tracks in all types of unique locations. I put really a whole lot of hours into these video games, I used to be even energetic within the fan boards, the place I downloaded user-made automobiles (each actual and faux) and deeply detailed customized tracks and environments. More moderen titles like Forza Horizon scratched an identical itch.
Someway, regardless of my love for 4×4 Evolution I didn’t turn into an off-road fanatic in actual life. I’ve loved off-roading each alone time and for work, in all types of various autos, however nothing has fulfilled my 4×4 Evo fantasies like a day driving the brand new Ford F-150 Raptor R by means of Johnson Valley. A number of updates for 2024 make the Raptor R even sooner and extra succesful off-road than earlier than, and it’s enjoyable sufficient to win over somebody like me who would usually not go for a truck like this.
Full disclosure: Ford invited me out to Palm Springs to drive just a few fashions from the 2024 F-150 lineup, together with the Tremor and the Raptor R. There was a lot of good meals for us to eat, together with freezers stuffed with ice cream treats, and we have been put up in a pleasant resort lodge.
Not content material with the already wild numbers from the Raptor R’s supercharged 5.2-liter V8, Ford has given it a little bit of a efficiency bump for 2024. Whole output is now 720 horsepower and 640 pound-feet of torque, a rise of 20 hp over final yr’s mannequin, and Ford says it has a wider torque curve. Below the pores and skin the 2024 Raptor R has new dual-valve Fox dwell shocks rather than the previous single-valve ones, which have repeatedly variable rebound compression and rebound management.
The Raptor R comes normal with large 37-inch tires on beadlock-capable 17-inch wheels that look superior, plus a bunch of orange exterior accents, distinctive graphics, completely different inside trim items, Recaro seats wrapped in leather-based and Alcantara, a modular entrance bumper and an even bigger hood vent. I’m into the redesigned grille and headlights, and the newly out there Shelter Inexperienced paint is superior too.
We begin the afternoon by crawling up a steep hill lined in very sharp rocks that might in all probability be an excessive amount of for the F-150 Tremor I drove earlier within the day. There’s no getting round how large the Raptor is; at 86.6 inches extensive it’s 6.7 inches wider than a Tremor, and its observe is 5.5 inches wider up entrance and 4.5 inches wider on the rear. The hood is completely huge, and it’s laborious to know the place the corners of the truck are. A 360-degree digicam system definitely helps, however the digicam high quality isn’t nice. Regardless of all of this, rock crawling within the Raptor is a cinch even should you aren’t utilizing the devoted Rock Crawl drive mode. The immense torque, large tires and 12 inches of floor clearance make it really feel like I can simply simply energy over any impediment, and the heavy steering is extra exact and confidence-inspiring than the Tremor’s off-road.
In deep sand ruts the Raptor continues to impress. Going quick is easy, with the suspension maintaining the experience stage even over huge bumps and the steering making small corrections straightforward. The Recaro seats are tremendous supportive, and I’m by no means getting tossed across the cabin or punished by the experience. The truck bounds together with gusto, and the sensation of accelerating by means of a nook or at excessive ranges of suspension compressions is intoxicating. Drift somewhat an excessive amount of onto a berm? Simply energy out. It’s playful with out being uncontrollable.
Subsequent we stumble upon a giant sand dune, and our teacher demonstrates a run the place we hopefully do three huge loops throughout it, making shapes like a teen star utilizing the glowing Disney Channel wand. That is my first time truly driving on a legit sand dune, and whereas I fortunately don’t get caught, I do biff it a bit. Actually I simply don’t ship it laborious sufficient, not having sufficient momentum or attacking on the proper angle to brush over and across the dune on my makes an attempt. Nonetheless, I’ve a blast, and subsequent time I’ll nail it. Hopefully.
After a bit extra dashing round by means of the desert we attain an open space the place Ford’s created a ramp within the sand so we are able to soar the Raptors. (This was my second first drive occasion in a row the place we bought to leap the automobiles, and now I believe it must be a requirement for all product launches.) Retaining the Raptor headed in a straight line underneath acceleration within the deep sand is hard, with the rear finish wiggling in every single place, however fortunately I’m capable of hit the soar on the right angle and at Ford’s advisable 60 mph, getting some fairly good air and distance earlier than touchdown. Whereas I’m definitely conscious that I’ve hit the bottom in such an enormous truck, the suspension soaks up a lot of the touchdown and it’s far more pleasing than it’s uncomfortable or scary — I’m nonetheless glad to be sporting a helmet and HANS machine, although.
Following a fast snack break by which I’ve a divine ice cream sandwich, we soar again on the highway to move to a baja course that Ford arrange utilizing a part of the King of the Hammers route. Fittingly, we twist the drive mode knob into the Baja mode, which adjustments the powertrain, suspension, steering and exhaust tuning to completely go well with going as quick as attainable off-road. The Baja exhaust mode, which might be toggled individually (together with all these different settings), is prohibited for driving on-road, so the Raptor makes you acknowledge that by hitting a affirm button. A Ford spokesperson advised me the Baja mode is so loud and aggressive that it doesn’t meet emissions requirements, and rattling if it doesn’t sound superior.
The course is a mixture of lengthy straightaways, tight corners hairpins and lengthy sweepers; a mixture of deep sand ruts and tougher washboard gravel with divots and large whoops. Ford’s engineers encourage us to go as quick as we are able to, and I just do that. On every consecutive lap I’m going sooner down the straight sections, carry extra pace into the corners and take extra aggressive traces, smiling even tougher each time. The Raptor R feels unstoppable.
On the finish of the course is a large dry lake mattress on which Ford arrange some cones to direct us the place to float, one other factor that I believe ought to be a requirement for all press drives. Large mud devils are whipping round, getting me much more excited to see “Twisters” in a pair months. At first I’m not used to how a truck just like the Raptor performs in conditions like this — at first it feels just like the truck is changing into unstable after I throw it right into a flip to attempt to drift, with the wheels and suspension juddering because the truck goes sideways, however I rapidly understand that I have to push it even tougher to essentially nail a clean slide. As soon as I turn into extra assured in myself and the truck, getting a drift proper is tremendous satisfying. After the drifting corners I cease at a set of cones to do a tough acceleration run, ripping to 75 mph in what looks like no time in any respect (Automobile and Driver bought a 2023 Raptor R to 60 mph in 3.6 seconds on pavement) earlier than getting laborious on the brakes, that are agency and really sturdy even when stopping on the grime.
A base 2024 Raptor with the V6 begins at $80,325 together with vacation spot, already a hefty sum, however upgrading to the V8 Raptor R will value you $32,035 on high of that. Geared up with choices like a panoramic sunroof the white Raptor R I’m paired with is $113,640, which nonetheless isn’t as costly as it might get. That’s a ton of cash for what’s “simply” an F-150 on the finish of the day, however then there’s actually no different truck available on the market that may do what the Raptor R does, now-deceased Ram TRX apart.
I’ll be sincere, the Raptor R isn’t the truck for me. In any scenario I’d a lot favor driving one thing the dimensions of the Ranger Raptor, and actually I wouldn’t need a pickup truck in any respect for the type of off-roading I wish to do. However as a car to hoon round for a day, in what’s basically the online game sandbox I all the time performed in, the Raptor R actually wins me over. Overkill as it’s, I completely perceive why somebody would wish to hop in a single each day no matter what kind of driving they’ve in retailer for them. Your entire afternoon, the one factor holding the Raptor R from going sooner and tougher is me.
