Around the Industry – 4WD187 – Part 3

Around the Industry – 4WD187 – Part 3

RAPTOR COULD WIELD 450 HP ECOBOOST POWER

Despite having suspension specifically tuned to soak up a high-speed jump, the Raptor has always been known for pumping out great gobs of power to go along with its all terrain capabilities. When we saw Ford pull the covers off the 2017 Raptor last year in Detroit, company brass promised that not only would the new Raptor sport EcoBoost power – it would also be more powerful than the 6.2L V-8 fitted to the 2014 Raptor.

Online forums are about the worst places to find accurate information about upcoming products, however the Ford Raptor Forum has a thread with a very convincing screen shot of the 2017 F-150 Raptor ahead of the truck’s official production launch. The screen shot clearly shows an engine rating of 450 hp at 5,000 rpm and 510 lb-ft of torque at 3,500 rpm. That is 75 more horsepower than the 2017 F-150’s “regular” 3.5L EcoBoost and 40 lb-ft more torque. More importantly, it’s 39 more horsepower and a whopping 76 lb-ft more torque than the previous Raptor’s 6.2L V-8. Obviously, these are unsubstantiated numbers. They do however seem to align nicely with where Ford said they wanted the second generation to sit. We’ll be back next issue with the facts from Ford themselves.

MOPAR RELEASE LIMITED EDITION RAM REBEL

The Ram Truck and Mopar brands recently announced the introduction of the Mopar ’16 Ram Rebel, the most recent limited-edition vehicle created using a unique selection of performance parts and accessories from the service, parts and customer-care brand of FCA US LLC. The Mopar ’16 Ram Rebel will feature a limited production of just 500 vehicles, upgraded with Mopar Custom Shop options. Additional parts and accessories are available at the dealership for even further customization.

The Mopar ’16 Ram Rebel marks the first limited-edition Mopar-modified vehicle designed for the truck segment. It starts with the Ram 1500 4x4 Rebel Crew Cab, and includes an aluminum, dual bezel sport performance hood embellished with a matte-black hood graphic. Off-road wheel flares bulge out to cover 17-in satin black wheels. A special Mopar blue-and-black graphic stripe accents both sides of the Mopar ’16, as well as the tailgate. Transfer case and front suspension skid plates, black tubular side steps, spray-on bedliner and a tri-fold tonneau cover emblazoned with the Ram logo finish off the exterior. Inside is a serialized Mopar ’16 glove box badge and a set of stainless-steel doorsill guards, with the front sill guards embossed with the Ram logo. The limited-edition vehicle will be available in both the U.S. and Canada, with a U.S. MSRP starting at $52,460.