The 2022 Ford F-150 Raptor is just around the corner and it appears increasingly likely that it will be sold with a V8 engine.
Ever since Ram lifted the veil on the 1500 TRX last year, speculation has been rife that the next-generation F-150 Raptor will ditch the current model’s 3.5-liter EcoBoost twin-turbo V6 in favor of a V8. Prototypes reportedly rocking such an engine have been spied and this video shows yet another 2022 F-150 Raptor prototype and it certainly doesn’t sound like a V6.
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This clip was recently shared online by Ford Authority and is being claimed to show definitive proof that the new pickup truck will indeed have a V8. While there certainly seems to be a V8 soundtrack in this video, it’s impossible to tell if that sound is coming from the F-150 Raptor or if it is coming from the engine of the truck that’s filming. Whatever the case may be, it’s intriguing, to say the least.
The current thinking in some circles is that the new F-150 Raptor will come equipped with a detuned version of the 5.2-liter supercharged Predator V8 of the Ford Mustang Shelby GT500. In Mustang guise, this engine delivers 760 hp and for the Raptor, could be detuned to around the 720 hp mark, meaning it would match up well against the 702 hp 6.2-liter Hellcat V8 of the Ram 1500 TRX.
We certainly think there’s a possibility this could happen. However, we would be shocked if Ford decides to only sell the 2022 F-150 Raptor with such a powerful engine. If anything, it would make sense for it to use a tweaked version of the current twin-turbo V6 or a naturally-aspirated V8 for entry-level models while offering the Predator engine in flagship variants. After all, not everyone wants a truck with over 700 hp.