Sam Krahn 
Tomorrow is a big day for car enthusiasts everywhere, as the next generation of the original Baja off-road monster pickup is revealed. That’s the 2021 Ford F-150 Raptor, and for the first time ever, it faces stiff competition. For the past two generations, it’s been in a class of its own, but then Ram dropped a Hellcat V8 powered bomb called the TRX, and the game was completely changed. We’ll have to wait to see official details on Ford’s response to the TRX tomorrow, but Ram has already given theirs over Twitter.
The FCA portion of the company now called Stellantis has never been afraid to poke fun at rival carmakers. Just check out the image of a T-Rex eating a Raptor under the hood of the 2021 Ram TRX. Coincidence? Definitely not. In this not-so-subtle jab, Ram replied to a Ford tweet that showed a teaser of the new F-150 Raptor, asking them to “pop the hood.” Check it out below.
The all-new third-generation F-150 Raptor is coming…
See for yourself 2/3/21. #FordRaptor pic.twitter.com/SlosVo2oVt
— Ford Trucks (@FordTrucks) January 29, 2021
This, of course, refers to the fact that the Ford F-150 Raptor currently has an EcoBoost V6 under the hood, while Ram has a snarling Hellcat V8 in their TRX. There’s no denying one is the more appealing engine option for V8 truck fans, and Ram knows it.
That being said, a Predator V8 powered Ford F-150 Raptor is rumored, whether it’s at reveal or later on. But there’s conflicting evidence at play. Spy shots and videos have shown Raptor test mules that sound like they have a V8 under the hood, while a recent order guide leak didn’t show a V8 option anywhere. It seems odd that Ford would test F-150 Raptor prototypes with a V8, but have no intention of making it a reality.
The overall consensus before the reveal points to Ford offering the F-150 Raptor with two engine options, a V8 and a V6. And there’s a chance that V8 option will come later, as the order guide seems to suggest. The 2021 Ram TRX may keep its top dog status for now, but possibly not forever.
We’ll have to wait for full details tomorrow to see what engine the new Raptor is packing under the hood, and that will finally determine whether Ram’s clapback is justified.
