Aerial Antics
Ford captures drone footage of the prototype Raptor testing its mettle
By Steve Turner
Photos courtesy of Ford Motor Company
Ford Performance is set to offer a dizzying array of high-performance vehicles in the coming years. There are so many options, it’s enough to make fans of Blue Oval performance pinch themselves to see if this real. If the 2017 F-150 Raptor is the one you are dreaming about, Ford has released new drone footage of the truck undergoing real-world durability testing.
“This summer an engineering prototype of the all-new 2017 F-150 Raptor tackled the dunes at Silver Lake, Michigan, State Park,” says the company. “Redesigned, larger FOX Racing Shox with more suspension travel and all-new terrain management technology help F-150 Raptor tackle the toughest of surfaces.”
Look down at the Raptor doing its thing right here…
“An available Torsen front differential increases off-road capability further,” the company added. “The system increases grip significantly for the front end of the truck and allows it to pull itself over obstacles and up steep grades—even when traction is split between the front tires. The all-new 2017 Raptor is powered by Ford’s new, second-generation 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine.”
Of course, this is just part of a slow flow of teasers leading up to the truck’s official release in the Fall of 2016, but it definitely keeps us interested.
Its cool to see them testing at silver lake. I spend a lot of time up there and you would be surprised what you see running around. The DNR actually uses two 6.2L Crew Cab Raptors as rescue trucks out there.