Lucas Bell 
When Ford first introduced the F-150 Raptor for the 2010 model year, there was no other factory pickup quite like it. In fact, it really wasn’t until FCA unveiled the Ram TRX earlier this year that the baja-bashing Ford has met a direct competitor. Of course 2020 also brought us a new generation of F-150, and therefore we are still awaiting the hardcore off-roader. Ford has confirmed that the truck will come for 2021, but not much is known beyond that.
Thanks to the folks over at the F150Gen14 Forum, we may likely have our first look at the truck’s front end design via a CAD rendering.
When the 14th-gen Ford F-150 made its debut, it arrived with more conservative styling than some of the other trucks on the market right now. This left many wondering if FoMoCo would also take this approach with the upcoming performance model. Based on the CAD designs that have been uploaded by the forum, it’s safe to say that this isn’t entirely the case. The grille and headlight design is reminiscent of the earlier models, and retains the massive “Ford” script in the center. If the rest of the truck follows suit, the 2021 Ford F-150 Raptor will still rock aggressive and purposeful styling.
While getting a sneak peak at the new truck’s grille is exciting, most fans and buyers alike are still waiting to learn what will sit behind it. Rumors have swirled that suggest that the F-150 Raptor come with the Predator V8 engine out of the Shelby GT500. Considering how heavily Ram has gone after Ford with their new 700+ horsepower TRX, this doesn’t seem like wishful thinking. A less powerful variant should also arrive with an EcoBoost V6 powertrain, potentially even one of Ford’s hybrid options. This lesser-Raptor is not only rumored to slot below the range-topper in performance, but should also arrive as a more budget-friendly option.
As the year draws closer to a close, more information about the 2021 Ford F-150 Raptor is sure to come to light. Prototype trucks have been spotted testing for some time, which leads us to believe that Ford is far away from spilling the beans on their latest hardcore 4×4.
