The Ford F-150 Raptor R

August 23, 2022

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In 2010, Ford turned the tried-and-true F150 platform into the ultimate factory off-roading pickup truck with the release of the Raptor – you might even call the Raptor a “special edition” of the regular F-150. Almost immediately, it became an iconic (and popular) vehicle in the Ford fleet, with a sea of aftermarket options available for those who enjoy wrenching on their trucks. And as usual, the good old boys at Roush Performance just couldn’t leave well enough alone, and waved their magic wands at the Raptor to make something great even better. There’s no stone left unturned, and the result is the one of the greatest Raptors to date.

Off-road-Inspired Performance

On any Roush vehicle, the engine is going to be the chief focal point, but this Raptor deviates a little from their usual modus operandi. There’s no huge supercharger bolted to this motor, or crazy horsepower or torque figures to bandy about on the internet – instead, the Level 1 Roush Performance Pac offers an additional 71 horsepower and 73 ft-lb of torque over the standard 3.5L EcoBoost motor utilizing a cold air intake and upgraded powertrain control module. It also needs to be stated that this Level 1 kit is also available separately from Roush, if you’re already a Raptor owner looking for some more horses.

The Roush flavor of the Raptor also comes with upgraded rotating assemblies to help drivers keep all that power under control and safe on the trail, and to look good while doing it. Proprietary 18” wheels boast a choice of black or red pseudo-bead-lock trim rings, which adds the perfect amount of off-road flair, and isn’t something that’s usually seen, even on aftermarket wheels. Tire choices on the Roush Raptor have varied a bit throughout the years; for the 2020 model year, the General Grabber tires provide the perfect balance between street performance and traction and durability in the dirt. In 2019, BF Goodrich KO2s were included. Any of these are a common and well-vetted choice for those looking to upgrade from their stock tires to something a little more versatile, and you can drive anywhere on earth with a set of 35” tires. For stopping power, upgraded front rotors (13.7”) and pads from Alcon are a welcome addition to a hard-use vehicle of this stature.

Also included as standard equipment are custom off-road tie rods. This is important to ensure your vehicle’s suspension can flex its full length and not bend or break anything that will leave you stranded out on the trail. Roush and FOX have had a long relationship, and you can find their custom shocks throughout most model years of the Roush Raptor as well.

Creature Comforts

But it’s not only suspension and performance upgrades that the Roush Raptor offers – there’s also a worked-over interior that befits such a special vehicle. As you might expect, the Roush logo is generously embossed throughout the custom leather upholstery in the cabin, reminding anyone inside that this is no ordinary truck. Looking through the windshield, you’ll see the full-length Roush banner up at the top, and the gauge cluster has also been replaced with a Roush-specific unit. One recent trend that Ford has embraced over the past several years are puddle lights; these are mounted to the side mirrors and illuminate when the doors open. In the case of the Ford Mustang, these actually show the iconic stallion illuminated on the ground. But in the case of this specific Raptor, you naturally get the appropriate Roush logo shining down.

If it seems like we’re saying the word “Roush” a lot here, it’s because there’s no shortage of that word throughout the truck – inside and out. The branding isn’t limited to the usual, obvious places though. Look close and you’ll see the “R” logo in the ceramic coating on the exhaust tips as well. In fact, the Roush badges themselves are individually serialized to the vehicle, so that counterfeiting is impossible. In this world of tuner and performance vehicles, much ado is often made about insane body panels, carbon fiber splitters, and extreme stylistic choices in general, so when a manufacturer chooses such (relatively) low-key visual details as bespoke exhaust tips, it’s much appreciated and works well here. Really, there’s so much custom branding here that we can’t cover it all in this article.

Another major creature comfort comes in the form of a push-button retractable, aluminum bed cover, great for keeping the weather out of your camping gear on the trail, or unscrupulous passers-by out of your bed while you’re running in to get groceries. It’s available as an option, along with an in-bed cargo manager, and locking vault for the center console. There’s also options for auxiliary lighting; in particular, the roof-mounted LED light bar looks great and will provide some much-appreciated extra lumens while bombing through the desert. Eight unique color options with tough, custom graphics are the icing on the cake.

A Value Proposition

Given all of the refinement, upgrades, and unique touches that go into this flavor of the Raptor, the price is a relative bargain – starting at only $16,500 on top of the base vehicle, the Roush Raptor offers tremendous value for those looking to hit the dunes, or those simply looking to have the rarest performance truck at the next Cars & Coffee meet. Other than the usual go-fast modifications, they also sprinkle in a good amount of quality-of-life upgrades to end up with a surprisingly well-rounded vehicle. Usually, these souped-up Manufacturer of Record vehicles (Roush, Saleen, etc.) offer a tenuous value proposition to all but the most die-hard fans of the Blue Oval, sacrificing practicality and livability in favor of big horsepower and torque figures. The Roush Raptor is unique in that regard – a supremely capable vehicle on and off the pavement, and with enough eye candy and clout to draw the attention of serious automotive enthusiasts. And the best part of the Roush Raptor? At the end of the day, it’s still a pickup truck – use it, abuse it, love it, and enjoy it the way it was meant to be.