WarSurfer

When Ford ran the Eco race trucks they were in a 'special' class and yes, there performance resulted in a rule change. Danzio's R&D may result in a rule change as well, who knows.

You forget a Raptor won its class at Dakar with nothing more than a roll cage and a set of KINGs.

You can postulate all you want, Ford won't release the Raptor with an engine package that would disqualify it from the types of races it is emulated after. Nobody is saying Raptors are race trucks but they do have a 'brand' to manage.

WarSurfer

I guess what I'm saying is, would it 'be cool' to have a TT5.0? Of course. Does a TT5.0 jive with how Ford has been doing things so far / what the SVT folks are saying on the Raptor forums - no.

Moore08

I don't see any v8 performance orientated engines in ford trucks anytime soon .. Look at the ford gt, 6 cylinder turbo, raptor 6 cylinder turbo .. I'd love to see the flat plane 5.2 v8 in the trucks but I just don't see it happening

Krieg

That's not so much behind. And factoring in that the truck is lighter, and the technology more modern, it'd be much less of a disadvantage.

One of the guys in my mustang club has a 6.2 F150 and all he does is run his mouth about how none of "those 15 ego-boosts those dummies buy" can even touch him. Blabbers about how he just blows past them all the time. Just makes himself sound like an idiot. Yammers about how those engines will never work and are all just going to blow up.

I think when I get my 15 3.5eco I'll call him on the dirt at one of our drag races...

Ford's going to use the next Raptor as a springboard for the new GT setup, which will also be a 3.5 ecoboost according to rumor (also rumored to make 500hp).

Still would like to see an ecoboost 5.0 option. They could sell it on low-prod under a Hi-Po moniker.

BigBlue&Goldie

I don't think you get it, Ford doesn't give two ****s about race specifications. All they care about is that the trophy trucks run Raptor styled bodies and they run the mandatory sticker package Ford requires for contingency payout. Here's an interesting fact; your Ford bodied/stickered up trophy truck doesn't even have to run a Ford motor to get paid.

Factory based race vehicles are a thing of the past unless it's a Jeep Speed......in which case Mopar doesn't even financially back the series. Back when the Rough Riders program was going, Ford cared more than they do now. Today, it's all about getting seen on TV. Trophy trucks and class class 1 cars get TV coverage, a slow *** Raptor that's getting passed by VW powered buggies doesn't get shown on NBC.

Straight from Pistol: "i won the baja500 and BAJA1000 last year in a ECOBOOST FORD RAPTOR......the biggest items ford is pushing, ecoboost and raptor, and the new raptor COMES with the ecoboost engine.........and they could basically care less.....pretty disappointing....."

To be clear, his Raptor is actually a tube framed truck with a fiberglass body, nothing in common beside the ecoboost with an actual Raptor.

WarSurfer

I 'get it' just fine. There is perception and there is reality. Ford sells Raptors based on the perception that you can go play in the sand.

There is no twin turbo v8 class - yet. The next gen Raptor is getting an ecoboost.

All this hand waving and name dropping hasn't drawn us away from my two original points.

BigBlue&Goldie

So class 8? (the same class the turbo 6.6L Hummers and turbo 5.9L Dodges run)

I'm just bringing facts to the table based on first hand experience, not dumb assumptions. If Ford wanted to put a 5.0 EB in the Raptor it would be able to race no problem. The fact stands that Ford doesn't put motors in Raptors based on SCORE or BITD rule books. If they did, they would put the 5.0 Coyote (naturally aspirated) in the Raptor as that's one of the spec motors for Class 6100/Spec TT.

Per the BITD (the Ford sponsored race series) Rule book:

Engine is limited to a sealed 8 cylinder. Only those engines listed here are permitted. See below list.
1. Ford 5.0L V8 engine kit part number M-6007-M50S With wire loom and control pack part
number M-6017-A504V
2. General Motors LS3 V8 engine kit part number 19301326 (Rev 5/19/14) with wire loom
and control pack part number 19258270
3. Billet Fuel rails allowed.

From SCORE's TT Spec Rule Book:

CR23 ENGINE and ENGINE DISPLACEMENT
This is a sealed engine class.
Must use a stock production as delivered from the manufacture V-8 engine.
Engine must 2008 or later year model.
Maximum displacement is 376 cubic inches.
All parts must remain stock as delivered from the manufacture.
No porting, polishing, balancing, or modifying of any parts in any way allowed.

joeg007

Not sure if you guys have seen this, but I found this video pretty interesting. It's about an ecoboost that has been converted into a Raptor and they have named it an "Eco-Raptor". Check it out:

Jerry44

I heard a rumor that the 2017 super duty could have a twin turbo 5.0 v8. Word is the engineers when they first released the 5.0 had engineered to be turbo-capable. Not sure if this is true. ANyone else heard?

WarSurfer

You are making my point for me. No twin turbo v8 class. Could there be one? Of course, I'm not arguing that point. There isn't one now. Class 8 is what the first Raptors ran in (purely a marketing stunt, I get it).

Raptors haven't been sold with a class limiting/excluded engine in the past. It doesn't look like they are doing it in the future. Could they? They could do whatever they want, but the haven't.