Ford Motor Company hasn’t had much to say about what to expect from the upcoming 2016 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, but we should get our first formal look at the production-ready 2017 Ford SVT Raptor F-150.
The F-150 Raptor that we see next week in Detroit should look a great deal like the truck that we all saw last year, but with the official debut of the production version should come all of the important numbers that we’ve all been discussing for the past year. Most notably, we should get the official horsepower and torque figures for the new high performance 3.5L EcoBoost V6. Comments made by Ford execs lead us to expect 450 horsepower (if not more) and I would expect at least 450 pounds of twist.
The production debut of the 2017 Ford Raptor F-150 should also reveal the curb weight of the new aluminum-bodied sport truck. This Raptor is going to be considerably more powerful than the previous SVT pickup, but the introduction of the aluminum body should also make it quite a bit lighter than the previous high performance pickup.
Curb weight should be accompanied by all of the other key specifications for the 2017 Raptor F-150 that will add up to what should be the best performing Ford truck of all time.
Finally, joining the production version of the 2017 Raptor, the Detroit Auto Show could also bring about more information on the new Super Duty lineup – which will also rely on similar aluminum body panels to those found on the F-150.
"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.
"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.
"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.
"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.
"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.
