Is this a prelude to the upcoming Raptor R?

The 2021 Ford F-150 Raptor has been revealed, and although it’s a truck that many fans have been waiting for, we can’t help but notice that it comes short of a proper Ram TRX contender. Good thing, a V8-powered Raptor R is coming. Even better, it’s rumored to be powered by the same supercharged 5.2-liter Predator V8 found inside the long hood of the Ford Mustang Shelby GT500.

This brings us to this video from YouTube’s The Fast Lane Truck. For its latest upload, the channel pitted the Shelby GT500 against the Ram TRX in a drag race. Is this a prelude to the upcoming Raptor R? Well, not quite, and for a number of reasons.

Gallery: 2021 Ram 1500 TRX: First Drive Review

First off, the drag race was held on a cold winter’s day in Colorado, which was around 30 degrees Fahrenheit or around a notch below zero Celsius. As we all know, cold climate and summer tires don’t mix, especially on a rear-driven Mustang Shelby GT500 that makes up to 760 horsepower (567 kilowatts) and 625 pound-feet (847 Newton-meters) of torque.

That certainly worked for the Ram TRX, which sends supercharged Hellcat power to all four corners. Despite being heavier and having less power, it beat the ‘Stang in the short straight-line race just for the merit of having a better launch. 

Secondly, the Shelby GT500 only weighs 4,200 pounds (1,905 kilograms). While the Raptor R’s weight isn’t available yet, we can turn to the F-150 Raptor for an estimate, which is at 5,750 lbs (2,608 kg). If the Raptor R will weigh around that ballpark, saying that the performance of the Shelby GT500 will be similar to the top-dog Raptor is a tall order.

Then again, the Raptor R’s power plant isn’t confirmed at this point. All we know is that it will be powered by a V8 and that it will be street legal. If anything, the drag race above could increase the anticipation on the Raptor R, which will arrive in 2022.

Source:

The Fast Lane Truck (YouTube)

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