New Ford Raptor Spied, Lighter, Small Engine – Tundra TRD Pro Competitor?
Tim Esterdahl | May 19, 2014 | Comments 7
Recently spy photographers have caught the next-generation Ford Raptor being tested. The iconic off-road beast will likely be lighter and have a smaller engine. Does this mean the Tundra TRD Pro is a true competitor?
The next-generation Ford Raptor was recently spied testing. Is this down-scaled truck a true Tundra TRD Pro competitor? Photo Courtesy: TruckTrend
Speculation about the Ford Raptor’s future has been rampant ever since the unveiling of the aluminum 2015 Ford F-150. Noticeably absent during the 2015 debut press conference, was any mention of the Raptor. Would Ford still be able to offer the Raptor? Was the truck still viable? The spy photos show us Ford is still serious about offering one, yet, will the truck be “lesser?” And, more importantly for Toyota, is the TRD Pro a real competitor now?
New Ford Raptor Concessions
With the spy photos, we can only speculate as to what the next-generation Ford Raptor will have. We can see it will have a similar body style and it will be setup to continue as a top off-road truck.
Going a step further and knowing the changes coming to the 2015 stock model, we also can surmise the new truck will be offered with a large amount of aluminum. We feel pretty certain on the aluminum since Ford re-engineered the frame to work with the lighter weight. With Ford certainly thinking about another long-term production run of Raptors, they will have to use this new frame. That means, steel panels are most likely out. Why? The new frame just has different stress points with the aluminum weight and changing the frame to work with steel is really costly.
Also, we know the new Raptor won’t have a 6.2L like it does now. Ford has killed that engine size and this means, it will likely the 5.0L. The lighter weight will help 5.0L perform at a level like the 6.2L, yet there will be a difference. No matter how you cut it, the performance of 5.0L is different than a 6.2L.
Raptor Aluminum Body, Frame Concerns
The Ford Raptor has been historically one tough truck. Besides the well-documented and controversial frame bending issue some Raptor owners had, the truck has been mostly rock solid. The new frame may help the Raptor. A Pickuptrucks.com story says, “current-gen F-150s use 23 percent high-strength, 70,000-pounds-per-square-inch steel, while the 2015 model will use almost 80 percent (more similar to three-quarter- and one-ton frame construction than most light-duty pickups).”
A stronger frame seems like it a great idea, yet it is the stress points that remain to be seen. You can throw as much new aluminum alloy on a truck that you want, but the placement of it is the bigger issue. The Raptor certainly has different stress points than a stock F-150 owner would need. Finding, testing and reinforcing these spots is a big r&d cost and, with the amount of new aluminum, could be difficult for Ford to get 1000% correct.
This next-generation Raptor looks similar to the outgoing model, except it will most likely be lighter and offer a smaller engine.
Another area of concern is the amount of aluminum and how it will hold up to the abuses Raptor owners demand from their truck. While Ford has the higher publicized story of a 2.7L EcoBoost, 2015 F-150 running in a Baja race, we wonder how much the professional drivers factored into keeping that truck in good shape. What happens when the more novice owners drive the Raptor? Will it get a reputation for collecting more dents? It shouldn’t really, but we can see it being an area of concern. The large-scale usage of aluminum is just so new, consumers will need time to decide the quality for themselves.
Tundra TRD Pro Suddenly More Competitive
What do all of these changes to the Raptor mean? It sure looks to us that the Tundra TRD Pro is a lot more competitive. If we were to surmise the new Raptor would have a smaller engine and concerns about how well the aluminum will hold up, the larger 5.7L Tundra with strong steel body panels and frame sure seems to look really good.
The Tundra TRD Pro truck impressed several journalists at a driving event. Photo Courtesy: TruckTrend.
This question on how the Tundra TRD Pro will compete has been raised a lot lately after a select number of journalists were invited to a special driving event. There are many stories and videos coming out from that event which all point to the same thing … the Tundra TRD Pro is an extremely capable off-road desert runner similar to the Raptor. In fact, some have speculated if the price point comes in under $50k, it could really threaten the Raptor’s dominance in the segment.
For years, people have been asking Toyota for a true Raptor competitor. While that hasn’t really happened – sorry Rock Warrior owners – it looks like Toyota may look really smart for waiting. The timing of the aluminum Ford Raptor with the TRD Pro might be perfect.
What do you think? Do you think a lesser Raptor makes the Tundra TRD Pro more competitive?
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Filed Under: Auto News
If Ford does go with the aluminum and Ego-boost it will probably upset a lot of potential CRaptor owners that is for sure.
Certainly a manly off-road truck should have a V-8 with a throaty exhaust (see TRD Pro Tundra w/5.7 + TRD duals) so yes I see it giving a good shove to the Raptors dominance on the factory off-road podium.
The raptor may be well built but for what? Off road? It’s too wide for that. It’s just too big to get around tight places. I once drove my 70 Ford Bronco 50 miles out to the the Maze in Canyon
Lands NP. Even the short wheel base bronco had to make some tight turn. We had a full size pickup on that trip and it had to move much slower then the jeeps on the trip. For off road the Tacoma is the right size truck. The Tundra is allow too big for anything which is off track. It will do it but it too is over sized for that kind of use.
As for the big motor. Most of the time we are crawling along in low range. My old Bronco had a 302 with only a three speed trans. A 6.2L V8 to step over rocks in first gear low seems to be a bit of overkill and the high RPM twin turbot eco boost makes even less sense. A smaller V6 perhaps but who will be going over rough ground at RPM rangers where the turbo will do anything.
Seem like the Raptor is nothing more then cool looking truck for driving around town. A friend of mine has one. Last year on a camping trip I followed him up a rocky mountain road, his track was a bit wider then what was worn into the ground.
Let’s her it folks tell me why I am crazy. Where do all the tundra owners take there big trucks off road?
Larry,
The Raptor is built for wide open desert running like in the Baja 1000. It is not built for rock climbing or narrow trails. For those driving situations, the 4Runner Trail Edition and/or the Tacoma is the best option.
I would go as far as to argue the 4Runner TRD PRO and Tacoma TRD PRO are built for high-speed desert running.
You’re old Bronco is better suited for trail running than several newer trucks like the Raptor. It is just plain different vehicles for different driving situations.
-Tim
That pictured Ford looks more like a cross between the FX4 and 2013 Raptor. If that indeed is the case, then the Raptor as it is today is gone, and replaced with a beefed up FX4 package. With that said, the two trucks will be evenly matched, so close that new feuds will be born–hatfields and mccoys anyone?!?! The 5.7 Tundra will bitch slap the ecoBoost (TRD Pro to push about 390 HP and 410 TRQ). However, the Ford will likely have lockers which will easily out do the Tundra’s ALSD (really just a less aggressive TSC).
It would be really good to know how many TRD Pro parts are compatible with the 2nd gen Tundra…
This weekend, a guy in his new 2014 parked next to my 2011 and we had hoods up within 5 minutes.
He had TRD dual exhaust that sounded sweet and I am trying to afford. I asked if he had the CAI and he said no, there is none for the new model yet, the air boxes seemed a little different.
My point… would love to at least add those longer TRD-PRO coils to my 2011, where the whole suspension will be to costly – will it retrofit???
I suspect that like the rear of the TRD-PRO that gains travel from just shocks, I will see these front springs will also require longer shocks, but we can hope.
I will say for sure that in few years, I will be looking for this TRD-PRO for my next truck.
PS. Raptor is too big for small two lanes and city… where even my Tundra is on large side. Raptor needs open desert like spaces, and is just bragging rights everywhere else – the same way the kids around here are in 3/4 and 1 ton diesels (mine is bigger and badder than yours).
I will be pleased with normal full size, plusher suspension that levels truck without reducing payload and towing. The exhaust is awesome too (but this package should include TRD CAI). Disconnectable front and rear sway bars and limited slip differential may then make it perfect.
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