Autoblog

Roush, Greg Biffle build custom Ford F-150 SVT Raptor for charity [w/video]

Drew Phillips — Fri, 03 Aug 2012 18:40:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Truck, Auctions, Videos, Ford, Design/Style

We normally associate Roush Performance with the Ford Mustang, but the company's latest project involves the F-150 SVT Raptor. The tuner has teamed up with Greg Biffle, who drives for the Roush Fenway Racing in NASCAR, on the build as part of the Sherwin-Williams Planet Color All-Star Charity Challenge, pitting them against Toyota driver Clint Bowyer to see who can design the best custom truck.

The NASCAR rivals have gone in significantly separate directions, with Bowyer designing a '50s-style work truck based on the Tundra and Biffle coming up with the flashy off-roader pictured above. Roush has fitted the SVT Raptor with items like their TVS2300 supercharger system good for 525 horsepower, a performance exhaust system, custom 18-inch wheels shod with 35-inch BFGoodrich tires, TireGate tire carrier and light bars front and rear.

So what determines who built the best truck? The winner will be decided by the almighty dollar, with both trucks going to auction for charity. Bowyer's Tundra already sold at Barrett-Jackson's Orange County auction, raising $100,000 for the Emporia Community Foundation, while Biffle's SVT Raptor will look to beat that number at Barrett-Jackson's Las Vegas event in September.

You can check out the custom Roush F-150 SVT Raptor in detail in the gallery above and in a video by scrolling down, then let us know which truck you'd rather have in Comments.

Continue reading Roush, Greg Biffle build custom Ford F-150 SVT Raptor for charity [w/video]

Roush, Greg Biffle build custom Ford F-150 SVT Raptor for charity [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 03 Aug 2012 18:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

2012 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor tackles Hell's Revenge Trail

Steven J. Ewing — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 15:01:00 EST

Filed under: Truck, Videos, Ford, Off-Road

We recently went off the beaten path with a Ford F-150 SVT Raptor in Moab, Utah to test the 2012 model's improved off-road chops. While Editor Paukert's tale of the experience certainly gets the point across, there's nothing quite like watching Ford's monster tackle the rocks and dirt in high-definition video, especially video that was taken by a hovering camera-equipped drone.

While the Raptor is best known for its desert-storming, dune-jumping prowess (we ourselves have greatly enjoyed getting all four wheels off the ground), what's truly amazing is watching a vehicle this big tackle some of Moab's toughest obstacles at a snail's pace. Follow the jump to see for yourself.

Continue reading 2012 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor tackles Hell's Revenge Trail

2012 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor tackles Hell's Revenge Trail originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 20 Jan 2012 15:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

2012 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor

Chris Paukert — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 11:54:00 EST

Filed under: Performance, Truck, Ford, First Drives, Off-Road

Exhilaration At 1 MPH

When thinking about the Ford F-150 SVT Raptor, one tends to picture an orange meteor barreling across the desert at absurd velocities, flying through the air, long-travel suspension dangling its dirty bits below. That's partially because desert storming and bombing down muddy, root-strewn fire roads was the Special Vehicle Team's design brief, and partially because those environs have dominated Ford's advertising efforts. Marketing shtick aside, there's little doubt that the Raptor has that Kool-Aid Man "Oooh, Yeah!" wall-crashing thing going on better than any other vehicle on sale today.

In fact, if you tend to picture the Raptor exclusively in terms of yumps and dry creekbeds, you're not alone. Ford and SVT kind of admit they did, too. But in building this street-legal trophy truck, they've come to realize that they unwittingly created a vehicle that's far more versatile than originally envisioned. Case in point: Back in 2009, a massive snowstorm crippled the ability of Ford staffers and media members trying to reach the Chicago Auto Show. In particular, Mark Fields and other key execs had to journey from Dearborn to the Windy City, and company pilots refused to take off in the horrible weather. Fields and some other executives settled on boarding the train, arriving haggard eight hours later and barely making their press conference. SVT boss Jamal Hameedi and his crew elected to travel by Raptor. Driving their trucks through inches of thick slush and ice in the fast lane at more-or-less normal highway speeds (while what little traffic was sharing the road crawled along with hazard lights aglow) was a revelation. Despite building the thing, Team SVT simply didn't expect something with wide, knobby tires and a higher center of gravity to cut through the frigid slurry like that.

It's exactly this sort of discovery process that led us to the foot of the smoothly picturesque red rocks seen here. We had arrived in a convoy of eight 2012 Raptors, having taken the easy hour's drive from Grand Junction, Colorado to Moab, Utah to tackle Hell's Revenge, a well-known 4x4 trail over this otherworldly terrain that doesn't take kindly to larger vehicles like our full-size SuperCab pickups. Solid bets for tackling Hell's Revenge include Jeep CJs and Wranglers, Toyota FJ Cruiser 4x4s and so on - vehicles with exceptional approach, departure and breakover angles. Even with its raised suspension and ground clearance of 11.2 inches front and 12.1 rear, we couldn't help but feel a bit sheepish about the Raptor's chances.

Continue reading 2012 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor

2012 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 29 Dec 2011 11:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Ford releases 2012 F-150 SVT Raptor video with a lot less jumping

Zach Bowman — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Truck, Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Ford, Off-Road

Ford has released a new advertisement for the 2012 F-150 SVT Raptor, and while it's entertaining, the clip is a good bit more demure than the footage we've seen from the company in the past. Gone are the shots of the off-road bruiser sailing through the desert air. Instead, the truck has turned its attention to muddy, wooded trails to show off its new 4.10 Torsen limited-slip front end, hill-descent control and front camera with integrated washer.

So, has Ford pulled in the reins on the Raptor after at least a handful of overzealous owners bent their vehicles' frames after aggressive jumping? Hard to say. The footage was shot at Ford's Romeo Proving Grounds in Michigan, which doesn't offer much in the way of jumps. Thus, the lack of airborne footage could be because of the location, or it could be that Ford chose the location because it didn't want to show the truck piling over big jumps. Hit the jump to check out the video for yourself, and let us know what you think in Comments.

Continue reading Ford releases 2012 F-150 SVT Raptor video with a lot less jumping

Ford releases 2012 F-150 SVT Raptor video with a lot less jumping originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 03 Oct 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Ford SVT Raptor gets new Torsen diff and interior package among 2012 changes

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 00:01:00 EST

Filed under: Truck, Ford, Design/Style, Off-Road

It's no secret that we're big fans of the Ford Raptor pickup. After all, there aren't many vehicles you can drive straight off the showroom floor, over and through harsh desert terrain at high speed and then back again. But Ford decided its off-road-ready truck needed a few updates for the 2012 model year.

While the 2011 Raptor was quite adept at handling varied terrain, from rutted washboard surfaces to the occasional jump (within reason...), it's four-wheel-drive system wasn't really designed with hardcore rock climbing in mind. For the new model year, though, Ford's extreme pickup gets a new Torsen front differential that features a helical gearset that promises to send torque to whichever front wheel has the most traction.

Another intriguing update for '12 is a front-mounted camera that can be ordered alongside the navigation system. This feature ought to help the driver figure out where best to steer the truck's front wheels so as to avoid otherwise unseen obstacles. The eight-inch screen in the center of the dash will be used to display what the camera sees at speeds of 15 miles per hour or less. Oh, and there's a dedicated washer for the camera to help keep it clean.

Besides those functional upgrades, the 2012 Raptor also gets a new optional side graphic that sports two diagonal stripes and is accented in matte, gloss and textured black. On the inside, a matte anodized blue treatment is now available on every color but Race Red (also new for '12). Rounding out the notable changes are optional cooled seats and new Euroflange wheels that keep their weights on the inside for better protection from off-road hazards.

Check out our high-res image gallery to see it all for yourself, and feel free to read the complete press release after the break.

Continue reading Ford SVT Raptor gets new Torsen diff and interior package among 2012 changes

Ford SVT Raptor gets new Torsen diff and interior package among 2012 changes originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 29 Sep 2011 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments