F-150 Raptor R and Ram 1500 TRX: Horsepower Wars
Whatever the actual product cadence narrative is, the TRX sure looks like it had caught out Ford, with the Raptor-come-lately-R dropping well after the TRX had "chomped" on its predecessor [per the cheeky T-Rex nomming a tiny velociraptor Easter egg in the center console]. That's all ancient history now, as the archaeological record will show some more even predator battles between the two now that the Raptor R has achieved underhood parity.
The Raptor R's numbers are, at least on paper, a smidge lower than the TRX's. The Raptor R's 5.2-liter supercharged "Predator" V-8 makes 700 horsepower and 640 lb-ft of torque—that's two ponies and 10 lb-ft behind the TRX's 6.2-liter V-8. The Raptor R revs a little higher [7,000 RPM max, compared to the TRX's 6,200 RPM limit], and that makes sense given the comparative sizes of the rotating assemblies. The TRX makes peak horsepower with fewer revolutions—6,200 RPM, to be exact. The Raptor R doesn't make peak power until 6,650 RPM. That said, the Raptor R makes peak torque a few hundred RPM lower.
It's kind of a wash, really. The Raptor R's smaller V-8 spins a little faster to replace that displacement, but its quick-spooling supercharger helps build torque quickly. The important thing is, despite being down a full liter on displacement, the two engines are neck-and-neck where it counts.
F-150 Raptor R and Ram 1500 TRX: Heavyweight Hitters
Parity isn't quite the same thing as a TRX knockout blow, but Ford has a slightly more subtle secret weapon here: weight. Or lack thereof. The 6,100-odd-pound Raptor R is no lightweight, but its 700-hp is hauling around nearly 700 fewer pounds. That puts its weight-to-power ratio at just 8.6 pounds per horsepower, which compares favorably to the TRX's 9.6 pounds per horsepower. It doesn't hurt that the Raptor R's blown V-8 only adds about 80 pounds to the mass of the truck.
That should mean despite being down slightly on torque and displacement, the Raptor R has a good chance at edging out the TRX in the all-important [for bragging rights, at least] 0-60 mph jaunt. We put the Raptor R at 3.8 seconds or so, perhaps a bit quicker—an educated guess, but let's just say it has a strong chance of showing the 4.5-second TRX its taillights at a stoplight drag. The quarter-mile is a whole other ballgame, and we'll be eager to see how the trucks stack up in that match-up.
F-150 Raptor R and Ram 1500 TRX: Towing, Payload
As much fun as it's going to be to rip around in these things, they're both full-size trucks and should be expected to do a modicum of work. [This isn't the 1990s, when high-performance meant your GMC Syclone could neither haul much nor venture offroad. ]
The TRX is rated to tow 8,100 pounds—no small feat for a truck with these performance credentials. But its mass appears to be a liability here, as the lighter Raptor R can haul around 8,700 pounds—that differential looks an awful lot like the curb weight difference between the trucks. Must be a coincidence, right?
Things are closer in payload ratings, but the Raptor R also ekes out a small win there. It'll haul an even 1,400 pounds to the 1,310 pounds of the TRX. That's basically a whole extra bag of concrete, for those keeping score at home.
F-150 Raptor R and Ram 1500 TRX: Off-Road Chops
Don't forget that for all the TRX's prowess where the asphalt ends, the Raptor 37 takes the stock tire crown. And the Raptor R is basically an up-engined Raptor 37, so that truck's additional ground clearance [and 120-mph governed top speed] also apply. That means the Raptor R benefits from all the chassis enhancements and extra structure that enabled the Raptor 37 to handle them big rollers.
Changes to the suspension of the Raptor R are minimal. The front shocks are 5 percent stiffer to compensate for the increased mass of the V-8; all the other hard work was done on the Raptor 37. That means the two trucks share the same 13.1-inch ground clearance rating.
That puts the Raptor R 1.3 inches higher off the ground than the TRX, which is rated at 11.8 inches of airspace. The additional lift of the Raptor R also pays dividends in approach, departure, and breakover angles—all of which are slightly but meaningfully better than the TRX.
F-150 Raptor R and Ram 1500 TRX: The Price of Performance
Ford's pricing strategy is perhaps the boldest departure from its Ram rival. Ford has the 2022 Ford F-150 Raptor R starting at $109,145—about $7,150 more than a comparably equipped Ram TRX. Now, the Raptor R is fully loaded, with paint color and a panoramic sunroof being the only options to choose from. There maybe be some subtlety to the pricing strategy here: it may reflect market realities, be closer to actual transaction prices of the TRX [factoring in dealer markup], or some combination thereof.
The real challenge with either truck is going to be to get one for sticker or close to it, at least for now. A tight market for hot vehicles should mean the Raptor R is going to be hard to get, and that could mean that $109,145 represents a steal. We'll just have to wait and see how the car buying universe looks this fall, when the Raptor R begins deliveries. In the meantime, the order books are open.