Facing a future of electric power, Ford has stepped up for one more old-school internal-combustion battle with a crosstown rival. The 2023 F-150 Raptor R is finally revealed, packing the most powerful V8 engine ever offered in a production Ford pickup. It has but one challenger with the Ram TRX – a pickup that debuted in 2020 and supplanted Raptor as the king of high-performance, off-road trucks. The battle is officially joined.
And it should be quite a battle indeed. These half-ton pickups ride on squishy suspension tuned for high-speed travel over rough terrain. Both have spacious four-door cabs with short beds. They wear meaty off-road tires, roll with a wide stance, and when you punch the throttle, each truck responds with a supercharged whine and a jolt of acceleration. Looking at the stats, you find these pickup trucks are extremely similar. But the are some notable differences worth pointing out.
Let's start with the one area everyone is talking about – the powertrain.
| 2023 Ford F-150 Raptor R | 2022 Ram TRX | |
| Engine | 5.2-liter supercharged V8 | 6.2-liter supercharged V8 |
| Power | 700 hp / 522 kW | 702 hp / 523 kW |
| Torque | 640 lb-ft / 868 Nm | 650 lb-ft / 881 Nm |
| Transmission | 10-speed automatic | 8-speed automatic |
| 0-60 mph | N/A | 4.5 seconds |
| Quarter-Mile | N/A | 12.9 @ 118 mph |
| Fuel Economy | N/A | 10 city / 14 highway / 12 combined |
For all intents and purposes, these muscle trucks are a dead match under the hood. Ram still claims the crown of the most powerful truck in the class, but with a difference of just two horsepower, that advantage could be erased by something as simple as a dirty air filter. Ram's Hellcat V8 pumps out a bit more torque as well, reaching peak twist at 4,800 rpm. The Ford's engine is borrowed from the Mustang Shelby GT500 and given a truck-specific tune that emphasizes low-end power. As such, it reaches max torque at 4,250 revs. Ford isn't ready to share performance stats, but we expect 60-mph and quarter-mile times similar to the TRX.
Actually, the F-150 Raptor R might be a tad quicker than the burly Ram. In its official announcement, Ford was keen to point out the Raptor R's weight of 5,950 pounds. Three tons of truck certainly isn't light, but it does check in a bit lighter than the TRX. It manages this while also riding on bigger tires, though Ford doesn't do much different with the Raptor R's suspension versus the V6 model. Changes are relegated to the front axle and small revisions to the front spring rates.
| 2023 Ford F-150 Raptor R | 2022 Ram TRX | |
| Wheels / Tires | 17-inch / 37-inch | 18-inch / 35-inch |
| Ground Clearance | 13.1 inches | 11.8 inches |
| Suspension Travel (Front / Rear) | 13 inches / 14.1 inches | 13 inches / 14 inches |
| Weight | 5,950 pounds | 6,439 pounds |
| MSRP | $109,415 | $78,790 |
Weight is really the only significant difference between the two trucks, at least in terms of mechanical items. 489 pounds certainly gives an advantage to Ford, but we'll have to wait for some time behind the wheel to see how that plays out in the real world. There is one other stat, however, that we don't need to wait on for a real-world evaluation. That would be price, and while neither muscle truck is cheap, Ram clearly holds an advantage. In fact, it's a $30,625 advantage.
Gallery: 2023 Ford F-150 Raptor R
For the record, the price difference between the $78,790 TRX and the $109,415 Raptor R is enough to buy a new Ram 1500 Classic. However, this isn't quite an apples-to-apples comparison. Ford says the F-150 Raptor R comes standard with pretty much every option box checked. If we equip a new Ram TRX with every available option, its price is upwards of $106,000. That narrows the gap significantly, but for buyers simply wanting a monster V8 engine in a jump-happy pickup, TRX is the only choice available under $100,000.
We will have more to come on the new Ford F-150 Raptor R when we get behind the wheel for a first drive. In the meantime, enjoy more truck chat with the Rambling About Cars crew, featured below.
