http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...atestnews..1.* It wasn't in the initial product plans, but the 2010 Ford F-150 Raptor looks as though it has progressed into a full-scale production vehicle. Originally an under-the-radar project championed by a few dedicated engineers at Ford, the Raptor has already been shown to dealers and is expected to go on sale next year. The existence of the Raptor has been a well-kept secret until Sean Holman, an editor at Four Wheeler magazine, spotted a prototype testing in the California desert last year. Since then, Holman has been tracking the development of the new truck, and now we can show you the first spy video of the Raptor trolling the streets of Dearborn. A dedicated off-road truck, the Raptor will feature a fully customized suspension with unique wheels and tires, Holman says. Front-wheel travel is said to be increased by 4 inches thanks to Eibach springs and Fox remote-reservoir dampers. The tires appear to be 35-inch BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/As mounted on 17-inch wheels, and an electronically controlled locking rear differential will come standard on the four-wheel-drive truck. The engine that will power the F-150 Raptor is still unknown. The Raptor was originally scheduled to introduce the new Boss V8, but that program has been scaled back due to fuel-efficiency concerns. It's possible that the planned 6.2-liter V8 will still make its way into the Raptor, but a carryover engine from the current lineup is a more likely scenario. Ford's 5.4-liter V8 is currently the biggest engine available in the F-150 and the most potent version is the supercharged motor in the Harley-Davidson edition. It uses a Saleen supercharger to make 450 horsepower, but the prototype in our video clearly pulls into a Roush facility. It shouldn't make much of a difference though, as the big V8 should make at least 400 hp regardless of which supercharger it uses. Then again, all of this speculation could be rendered useless if Ford decides that plummeting truck sales will make the Raptor a tough sell. Sales of the redesigned 2009 Ford F-150 have already been pushed back by two months, and the Boss engine program could be cancelled altogether if fuel regulations continue to tighten. Let's hope this is not the case, as the Raptor is one of the coolest factory-built specials we've seen in a long time — at least in prototype form.
Author: InsideLineVideo
Keywords: 2010FordF-150RaptorSpyVideocartruckautomotorEdmunds
Added: July 21, 2008
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