Lucas Bell 
When Ford pulled the cover off of the 14th-generation F-150 lineup back in June, a certain off-road ready model was noticeably absent from the celebration. In the months since, the Blue Oval has continued to remain silent on the highly-anticipated F-150 Raptor, despite pleas from fans and buyers alike. This has led to an immense amount of speculation regarding the pickup, particularly when it comes to the powertrain. Thanks to the team at Motor1, we now know that this speculation will end soon. That is because the 2021 Ford F-150 Raptor will make its debut on February 3.
According to the publication, a Ford spokesperson has officially confirmed that the 2021 Ford F-150 Raptor debut will take place on February 3. The unveiling is set to be live-streamed via the automaker’s YouTube channel at 11 AM Eastern Standard Time. That means we only have to wait a few short weeks before we can finally lay eyes on this new truck and its spec sheet.
Thanks to some leaked CAD drawings of the truck’s front end, we already know that the 2021 Ford F-150 Raptor should look similar to its predecessor. That shouldn’t come as a huge surprise, as the new F-150 is more of an evolution rather than a clean-slate redesign. Like with the rest of the 14th-generation F-150 lineup however, expect more serious changes to take place under that updated bodywork.
Rumors have swirled for months now suggesting that the 2021 Ford F-150 Raptor
will be available with the 760 horsepower 5.2L supercharged Predator V8. While this would have seemed unlikely just a year ago, the debut of the 702 horsepower Ram 1500 TRX has shifted the segment. That said, the 3.5L EcoBoost V6 has also been rumored to join the lineup as a more affordable, entry-level engine.
Thanks to Motor1, we now also have video evidence that supports this V8 theory. In the video captured outside Ford’s Headquarters, you can clearly hear what sounds like a V8 exhaust note coming from a 2021 Ford F-150 Raptor prototype. While this certainly doesn’t confirm the presence of the GT500’s V8, that surely doesn’t sound like any EcoBoost we’ve ever encountered.
When the cover does come off of the 2021 Ford F-150 Raptor on February 3, the truck will face a legitimate rival for the first time in its short history. The battle for segment dominance between the Raptor and the TRX will be exciting to watch, if not for the jurassic connotation alone. Be sure to check back to MC&T for more updates as the debut draws closer.
