2023 Ford Raptor Avalanche grey

Christmas has arrived early this year for all adventure seekers as Ford has just raised the curtains off its most potent F-150 Raptor ever. Plonked with a 5.2-liter supercharged V8 from the Mustang Shelby GT500, the 2023 Ford F-150 Raptor R is now available to order in the United States. Called the "Ultimate Raptor" by Ford engineers, this new version promises to be the most extreme, most powerful, and fastest iteration of this high-performance pickup truck.

The 2023 Ford F-150 Raptor R offers superior performance over the standard Raptor and comes with a few extra off-road goodies right off the factory floor. In addition, it also features several unique styling attributes that differentiate it from the standard Raptor and make it look at home out on the desert dunes.

The New F-150 Raptor R Looks Like A Desert Predator

Via Ford

In terms of its overall design, the 2023 Raptor R looks identical to the base Raptor. However, Ford has thrown in several unique design elements for this iteration of Raptor R to give it some form of visual exclusivity. Sitting on its hood is an enormous and aggressive air extractor almost 1 inch taller than the one seen on the base Raptor. In addition, the bumpers, fender flares, and front grille have now been painted all-black.

This truck also comes with several "Code Orange" accents which we have seen on various other vehicles built under the Ford Performance brand. Here they take the shape of orange 'R' badges seen on the front grille, hood air extractor, and the tailgate of this truck. Adding more character to the Raptor R are the cracker desert earth graphics plastered on either side of its truck bed.

Via: Ford

The exclusive styling package for the new Raptor R also continues inside the cabin. Here we see an all-black color scheme. The standard Recaro seats have been draped in black leather and Alcantara suede. The Raptor R badging adorns these seats and the front central armrest. Furthermore, the media bin door, upper parts of the instrument cluster, and the doors are equipped with carbon fiber accents that showcase a unique weave design. In addition to the standard six color options, Ford has introduced two new paint schemes for the 2023 Raptor R: Avalanche and Azure Grey.

The New F-150 Raptor R offers Impeccable Off-Road Capability

Via Ford

Not only has Ford given the Raptor R unique styling cues, but it has also made quite a few mechanical changes to make this truck more capable off-road. First is tuning the transmission and driveline components to ensure they can handle the excess power from the 5.2-liter supercharged V8 motor.

In addition to re-calibrating the transmission, the 2023 Raptor R also comes with an all-new front axle and larger-diameter drive shaft. High-strength aluminum is used on both these components to handle the additional torque generated by the engine. Furthermore, a new torque converter has been added to the driveline, specially tuned to ensure a smoother drive, whether on the road or off it.

Further adding to the fun are the Raptor R's four driving modes: Normal, Sport, Quite, and Baja. As is the case, each mode comes with a unique set of tuning for this truck's performance, steering, and suspension attributes. The R button on the steering wheel allows you to pick one of these modes as your favorite and save it for quick deployment.

Via Ford

The new Raptor R has been equipped with advanced FOX Live Valve shocks. These dampers are electronically controlled and come with height sensors that tune the suspension based on the terrain below through active monitoring. The advanced suspension components of this truck allow it to have 13-inches of wheel travel at the front and 14.1-inches of wheel travel at the back. In addition, the Raptor R comes standard with 37-inch BFGoodrich KO2 all-terrain tires and boasts a ground clearance of 13.1-inches.

The 2023 Ford Raptor R has also carried forward some of the electronic off-road aids from the standard Raptor. The list includes Trail Turn Assist, Ford Trail Control, and Trail 1-Pedal Drive.

The 700 HP V8 Is the Coolest Feature Of The New F-150 Raptor R

Via Ford

The highlight of the Ford F-150 Raptor R's latest iteration has to be its 5.2-liter V8 engine. This engine, previously seen on the Mustang Shelby GT500, can churn out 700 horsepower and 640 lb-ft of torque.

Providing the added performance to this engine is a 2.65-liter water-cooled inverted supercharger that boasts of a 12 PSI maximum boost. In addition, this engine has been paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission tuned for optimal off-road performance.

The exhaust manifolds of this engine have been upgraded to those of cast stainless steel to maintain peak performance during extreme off-road conditions. Another exciting feature about this engine is that compared to its original form, its air-intake capability has been increased by up to 66 percent by equipping it with a broader air-intake and a high-performance air filter.

Since the latest generation of the Raptor was introduced with a V6 engine, ditching the roaring V8, customers have been asking Ford to bring back the 8-cylinder motor to justify the character of this Baja off-roader. Finally, with the 2023 Raptor R, Ford has given these customers what they have asked for and more.