2011 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor gets engine upgrade, crew cab

A larger standard engine and more seating capacity are the big changes for the 2011 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor pickup.

For starters, all 2011 Raptors will come standard with a 6.2-liter V8, rated at 411 hp and 434 lb-ft of torque. The 6.2-liter engine was an option on the 2010 Raptor, while a 320-ho 5.4-liter V8 was the base engine. The change gives the brawny Raptor an additional 91 hp. Ford says the 2011 Raptor will tow up to 8,000 lbs., making it suited as a support and chase truck, as well as a race truck.

The iron block, aluminum head V8 in the Raptor is a tuned-up version of the unit used in Ford's Super Duty pickups.

The other major change for the Raptor is the addition of a SuperCrew cab option. The SuperCrew cab adds 12 inches to the truck's wheelbase and overall length.

The Raptor is 7 inches wider than the standard F-150, due in part to the monstrous triple-bypass shocks from Fox Racing.

The front suspension consists of a coil-on-shock, double wishbone independent setup with aluminum lower control arms and forged-steel uppers.

The rear gets a Hotchkiss-type live axle with leaf springs and outboard shock absorbers.

All four corners will roll on 35-inch BFGoodrich All-Terrain TA/KO 315/70-17 tires.

The Ford powertrain team did extensive durability tests on the SVT Raptor including a 62-mile hot-weather loop in the desert that simulates the Baja 1000. Engineers also put the 6.2-liter V8 through hundreds of additional tests that most Ford engines will never see.

Inside, the Raptor gets a 4.2-inch LCD screen added the instrument cluster. The monitor, adopted from the Super Duty gauge cluster, shows everything from off-road and towing performance to steering wheel angle and drive mode. The menus are navigated with a five-way button on the steering wheel.

Pricing for the 2011 F-150 SVT Raptor hasn't been released yet, but the 2010 model had a sticker price starting at $41,995 so we expect the cost of the 2011 model to be similar. Dealers will start taking orders on Friday and the trucks will be available in dealerships late this year.

By Jake Lingeman