Manoli Katakis 
As the global semiconductor shortage ravages auto industries both foreign and domestic, eyes have turned to Ford Motor Company, which is forced to deal with production delays of its brand-new cash cow: the 2021 Ford F-150. The American automaker is no stranger to dealing with various crises circulating around its prized pickup truck – a best seller for 44 years in a row. The company has dealt with supplier fires that paused F-150 production in 2018, and went to great lengths to circumvent the problem. Then in 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic paused F-150 production once again, and delayed the launch of the new F-150. And now, in 2021, the global semiconductor microchip shortage is here to challenge Ford Motor Company. However, at the time of this writing, the current crisis is but a bump in the road, and customers can still expect on-time ordering and deliveries of the industry’s latest performance truck: the 2021 Ford F-150 Raptor.
“Customers will be able to place orders for 2021 F-150 Raptor within the next month and delivery timing is unchanged at this time,” Ford spokesperson Dawn McKenzie told MC&T.
The 2021 Ford F-150 Raptor was revealed in February 2021, highlighted by the availability of 37-inch tires, a powerful 3.5L EcoBoost V6 engine with a throatier exhaust, fighter-jet inspired exterior styling, and OTA capabilities.
The current timetable for production and deliveries of the 2021 Ford F-150 Raptor is summer of this year. The truck is expected to significantly undercut the 702 horsepower Ram 1500 TRX when pricing is announced in the coming weeks. It’s not expected to feature a hybrid or electric powertrain in the future, as Ford engineers tell us that they developed “the Raptor to be Raptor.”
Later this year, the 2021 Ford F-150 Raptor R is expected to be revealed, which will likely match the Ram TRX more directly in terms of power, content and price. Previous reports have claimed that this range-topping performance truck will possibly overpower even the Hellcat-powered Ram TRX thanks to its 5.2L supercharged Predator V8 engine, which pushes out 755 horsepower in the S550 Ford Mustang GT500 muscle car. That’s at least until Stellantis stuffs a 797 hp Redeye V8 engine into the Ram TRX.
Others have claimed that the truck will feature a roll-cage and won’t even be street legal, but that information could have been cross-wired with something else, as Ford openly debunked this rumor.
