Manoli Katakis 
Not long after the debut of the 702 horsepower 2021 Ram 1500 TRX, executives from FCA hinted that there would be a less-agro version of this sand blasting super truck. Because even as its performance numbers help justify its $70,000+ price tag, it doesn’t mean that it will be able to have the sales volume and mass appeal of less powerful off-road trucks, such as the outgoing Ford Raptor, which starts nearly $20,000 beneath it. To combat this, Ram is likely going to offer a non-supercharged Hemi version of its new off-road truck. Just the same, the 2021 Ford F-150 Raptor will also have two engines, and likely for the same reason.
According to (mostly accurate) TFL, the 2021 Ford F-150 Raptor will enter the arena with a 3.0L EcoBoost V6 hybrid powertrain. Nicknamed “Powerboost HO,” according to TFL, it’s speculated that this power unit will be borrowed from the Lincoln Aviator Grand Touring with surprisingly radical power numbers: 496 horsepower and 600 lb-ft of torque. That would blast away the numbers found in the outgoing 3.5L EcoBoost V6-powered Raptor, by 46 hp and 90 lb-ft of torque. The hybrid unit is also capable of all-electric mode. Ford could even make more power than this, in theory, should they use a bigger engine than the 3.0L. Instinct tells us that this would be the case, as truck buyers hate being short-changed on things like displacement, let alone cylinder count. Which brings us to the next item on the list: an optional 5.2L Predator supercharged V8 engine straight out of the S550 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500.
The Predator V8 engine was already reported not long ago, but the latest TFL news paints a clearer picture. This will be the Raptor’s secret weapon against the Ram 1500 TRX, with around 760 horsepower – more than the already insane 702 horsepower found in the Mopar truck. However, this super truck will reportedly be made and sold in limited numbers. Ram isn’t doing this.
That being the case, we can expect a significant price gap between the Powerboost HO Ford F-150 Raptor and the Predator V8 F-150 Raptor. The former will likely start between $50,000-$60,000, along the range of the outgoing Raptor. And the latter will likely take things north of $70,000, where the Hellcat-powered TRX is stickered at. We’re not even counting the Ram 1500 TRX Launch Edition, which carries an MSRP of over $90,000. It sold out in just three hours.
While this news is plenty exciting for disciples of the Blue Oval, FCA will likely counter what Ford is doing in the not-too-distant future. Recall early reports of some TRX prototypes testing with Hellcat Redeye and Demon supercharged V8 engines. If this turns out to be true, we could see a future Ram truck with around 800 horsepower. And more power is exactly what customers want.
