| Erase from your memory the F-150 Lightning, SVT's | | | | To take the pounding of a sprint through the desert, |
| tire-smoking sports car/pickup. For 2010, SVT went | | | | Ford added a beefier rear axle housing and a |
| the extreme opposite direction with the F-150 SVT | | | | completely new front suspension with strong upper |
| Raptor: A mogul-jumping, off-road desert runner. | | | | and lower control arms and stronger tire rods, among |
| Raising the number of F-150 models to nine is the | | | | other enhancements. In addition the Raptor has a |
| Harley-Davidson F-150 edition, which features | | | | seven-inch wider track - the distance between tires |
| 22-inch-diameter polished, forged aluminum wheels, | | | | on the same axle - to improve stability while bouncing |
| chrome exhaust tips and Harley-Davidson graphics | | | | between the sagebrush and yucca plants. |
| and logos on just about every available space. | | | | For situations where deep sand or mud slow |
| Existing models get several new features, too. A | | | | progress, the Raptor has a locking rear differential. In |
| chrome billet grille is available on the XLT Chrome | | | | addition, selecting the off-road mode disables the |
| package, a chrome mesh grille insert comes on the | | | | electronic driver aids (electronic stability control and |
| Lariat Chrome package and black tubular running | | | | traction control) and switches the logarithm of the |
| boards are available on the XL Regular Cab and | | | | anti-lock brakes to a more off-road- appropriate |
| SuperCab. | | | | setting. The Raptor is fitted with giant 315/70R17 |
| The first F-150 SVT Raptors will come with the | | | | BFGoodrich All-Terrain TA/KO tires. These 35-inch |
| 320-hp, 390 lb.-ft. torque, 5.4-liter V8 offered in other | | | | diameter tires add ground clearance to help avoid |
| F-150s. Available later will be a 6.2-liter V8 with | | | | contact with rocks. Just in case that's not enough |
| approximately 400 hp that'll launch the SVT Raptor | | | | clearance, the Raptor comes standard with |
| into low-earth-orbit if you can find the right jump. | | | | heavy-duty skid plates to protect the oil pan, |
| Just make sure to nail the landing after re-entry. In | | | | transmission and other key bits under the vehicle. |
| addition to the Raptor's 6.2L V8 (which will come with | | | | Visually, the Raptor has a unique grille, front bumper |
| a six-speed automatic), the 2010 F-150 is available | | | | and fenders. Inside, there's a revised console. The |
| with three engines, all V-8s: a 320-horsepower, | | | | steering wheel features an orange stripe at the top, |
| 5.4-liter; a three-valve-per-cylinder 292-horsepower, | | | | similar to those found on NASCAR racecars, to help |
| 4.6-liter; and a two-valve-per-cylinder 248-horsepower | | | | the driver know how far the wheel is turned in case |
| 4.6-liter. | | | | he loses track in the excitement. The Raptor is |
| The first two come with a six-speed automatic, while | | | | available only as a four-wheel-drive SuperCab with a |
| the two-valve 4.6L is mated to a four-speed | | | | 5.5-foot bed. |
| automatic. A two-wheel-drive F-150 with the 4.6-liter, | | | | Studies have shown that many Harley riders like to |
| three-valve engine is EPA estimated at 21 miles per | | | | tow their motorcycles to events, rather than eat |
| gallon on the government's highway driving cycle. A | | | | June bugs all the way there and back. And the Ford |
| 2WD 5.4-liter will achieve 20 mpg on the highway. | | | | F-150 is one of their most popular choices for that |
| Some keys to successful desert race trucks are long | | | | tow work, with Ford's Trailer Sway Control. Whether |
| suspension travel to soak up bumps and keep the | | | | they know it or not, the 2010 Ford F-150's biggest |
| drive wheels on the ground, robust shock absorbers | | | | advantage for Harley pullers is how Ford has |
| with extra fluid reservoirs to prevent overheating, | | | | reprogrammed the pickup's electronic stability control |
| and reinforced suspension components to stand up | | | | system computer to recognize when the trailer |
| to the constant pounding. The Raptor has over 12 | | | | begins to sway then react to quell trailer motion by |
| inches of travel in the rear suspension and over 11 up | | | | applying individual brakes or reducing acceleration. |
| front. While long for a stock vehicle, it's far less than | | | | Also, an optional in-dash trailer brake controller |
| half of pure race trucks, so don't challenge Robbie | | | | prevents the bruised knees and scraped shins |
| Gordon to a desert duel. | | | | common with aftermarket controllers. And let's not |
| The Raptor is equipped with specially designed Fox | | | | forget...there are Harley-Davidson logos on the sides, |
| Racing Shox shock absorbers, designed to maintain | | | | front fenders, tailgate, ignition key, door trim panels, |
| their performance over miles of washboard surfaces. | | | | the windshield and a few other places. |