Listen To The V8-Powered Ford F-150 Raptor R Scream!

When the current Ford F-150 Raptor first arrived on the market, off-road enthusiasts were disappointed it only came with a twin-turbocharged V6 EcoBoost engine like the previous generation rather than a supercharged V8 like the Ram 1500 TRX. Ford quickly announced plans that a V8-powered Raptor R would arrive the following year, but has remained quiet since then... until now.

Ford CEO Jim Farely broke the silence (literally) by tweeting a teaser video on his personal account, showing the new Raptor R pulling some insanely long slides in the desert. "Can't wait to share more details about F-150 Raptor R later this year," Farley said. "The V8 sounds amazing!"

We'll let you judge for yourself, but Farely isn't just showing favoritism towards his product, the Raptor R sounds menacing. There is far less supercharger whine than the TRX, meaning you hear more of the rumbling V8.

"We listened, Twitter helps us sharpen our focus since we can listen to individual feedback," Farley answered to a commenter thanking Ford for dropping a V8 into the Raptor.

Leaked information points to a V8 sitting under the hood, the same one found in the Shelby GT500. In the Mustang this engine produces 760 horsepower and 625 lb-ft of torque, which would outmatch the TRX's hp if the output remains the same.

We suspect the Raptor R will get a different tune than the GT500, lowering the output but improving the torque figure. The shifts in the video also sound like a traditional automatic, like Ford's 10-speed transmission, not the dual-clutch unit used in the Shelby. We suspect the Raptor R will be revealed later this year, though Ford has not provided an official timetable. The Raptor R should cost significantly more than the standard Raptor, which already retails for a hefty $69,905 (before options). When it arrives, we're sure dealerships will tack on substantial markups.