Ford’s Raptor has been setting the Gold standard for what makes a tough truck truly rough n’ ready. We’re happy to report the 2018 Raptor is no dinosaur in truth – it takes everything good about the venerable SVT 4×4 platform and makes it better.
Perhaps the biggest upgrade the new monster of a truck receives is actually some innovative development stuff that Ford applied to the rest of its pick-up truck line: Weight reduction and aluminum body work. This alone shaves a few hundred pounds off the Raptor’s thick hide, making it faster and slimmer than its predecessor.
Unfortunately for some, you can say goodbye to a deep, hollow, bell-tone exhaust note – Ford ditched the old V8 motor in favor of their brand favorite, their flagship 3.5L EcoBoost V6. Where American muscle and sweet notes disappear, power comes in greater numbers. Quite a few more, actually, with the 2018 model making 450 horsepower and 510 lb.-ft. of torque, compared to the previous generation’s 411 horses and 434 torques. Ford also threw in the 10-speed automatic as the power transfer piece of choice.
With rolling weight reduced and numbers under the hood beefed, the 2018 Raptor has become a proper towing champion. Overall capacity has increased by a whopping 2,000 pounds while fuel economy, too, has improved by about one quarter. That all translates into a higher power-to-weight ratio, making the 2018 Raptor a leaner, meaner, fighting machine. This fighter may have spent a few months in the gym toning up and trimming down, but exterior looks get a little beefier.
On the outside, the Raptor gets a few styling upgrades, too. New headlights, a revised grille, new taillights, and a new tailgate design all mesh together to create a sort of synergistic enhancement – separately, these elements look barely noticeable, but once paired together, the new Raptor carefully balances some plastic surgery with a proven recipe for good looks.
Ford’s so confident in the new Raptor that they’re pushing their Raptor Assault School as a way for newly minted owners to test their mettle on the diverse terrain outside of Salt Lake City. There, professional Ford Racing mentors help show off the Raptor’s impressive all-terrain management system, which we’re being told helps new owners push the truck (safely) beyond their normal limits.
The Raptor Assault course features some moderate to extreme terrain segments, including a tilt limit test to showcase just how much of a lateral incline the truck can manage. It’s sure to keep white knuckles planted on the wheel.
(Credit: Ford Performance Racing School)
For the folks who want the tough looks but comfort and convenience, well, you’ll have to wait another year (or generation). The 2018 Raptor’s interior gets few refreshments: You’re still stuck with a measly two cup holders and few other accouterments. The purpose-designed truck does sport plenty of interior storage and some nifty overhead toggle switches (six, to be exact) for owners who want to install auxiliary lighting. Several plug-in spots for 12-volt and even 110-volt gear are dispersed throughout, making the new Raptor’s interior just as functional for the outdoors as its powertrain.
Without getting into too much detail, the 2018 Raptor still provides all performance modes – Normal, Sport, Weather, Mud/Sand, Rock Crawl, and Baja – and it still employs its proven 2.5”, FOX 3.0 front and rear shocks with beefed up tubes and external reservoirs. In all, the new Raptor retains its “Best Of” rating as an off-road monster, while producing plenty more power to keep things interesting – and not much else.
