2014 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor
The SVT Raptor is a high-performance version of Ford's venerable F-150 pickup truck that is one of the most unique and capable off-road production vehicles ever made. With an extra-wide stance, specially-engineered suspension and oversized tires, the SVT Raptor (which is also available in Supercrew form) is unwieldy on the pavement but a superhero in the desert, where it can travel at nearly triple-digit speeds through terrain that would tear lesser trucks apart.
Ford has continually tweaked and updated the Raptor since it hit the market in 2009. For the previous model year, the Blue Oval added a new set of wheels that can be converted to a rugged beadlock design, HID headlights and the automaker's MyFord Touch infotainment system. For a full description of the changes, scroll down to the "Charting the Changes" section.
Ford spent a great deal of time and R & D dollars transforming the F-150 into the Raptor, even going so far as to construct a 62-mile durability loop in the desert of Borrego Springs, California, to replicate the conditions of the demanding Baja 1000 off-road race. The truck's thoroughly re-engineered suspension features 13.4 inches of usable wheel travel in the rear and 11.2 in the front in addition to industry-exclusive internal bypass shocks. Supplied by Fox Racing, the shocks feature high-altitude commercial jet-style fluid and an internal bypass system to stiffen the shock as it travels to prevent bottoming out.
Thirty-five-inch BFGoodrich All-Terrain tires modified specifically for the Raptor provide a connection to the ground, while an Off Road mode calibrates the transmission, stability control and traction control to operate effectively in high-speed off-road situations.
