Track Tested: 2010 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor 6.2

Edmunds tests hundreds of vehicles a year. Cars, trucks, SUVs, we run them all, and the numbers always tell a story. With that in mind we present "Track Tested," a quick rundown of all the data we collect at the track, along with comments direct from the test-drivers. Enjoy.

In case you haven't noticed, we dig the 2010 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor. We like the way it looks. We like what it stands for in the Ford lineup. And most of all, we like all the cool stuff it can do off-road.

If we had to name a flaw on the original Raptor, though, it was the lack of power. The base 5.4-liter V8 only makes 310 horsepower, and on a truck that weighs 3 tons, that's just not enough. Fortunately, Ford has come through mid-year with a new, optional 6.2-liter V8 engine. A tuned version of the new, small-block gasoline V8 for the F-Series Super Duty line, this 6.2-liter makes 411 hp and 434 lb-ft of torque in the F-150 SVT Raptor.

So there was only one thing to do: Take a 6.2 Raptor to our instrumented-testing facility to see just how much it could improve on the 5.4 Raptor's times.

	Raptor 6.2	Raptor 5.4
0-30 mph (sec.)	2.7	3.0
0-45 mph (sec.)	4.7	5.3
0-60 mph (sec.)	7.2	8.4
0-75 mph (sec.)	10.7	12.3
1/4-mile (sec. @ mph)	15.3 @ 91.0	16.2 @ 85.6
0-60 with 1 foot of rollout (sec.)	6.8	8.1

Note that we didn't redo the skidpad and slalom tests this time around. Our reasoning is simple: When a vehicle weighs over 6,000 pounds, as the F-150 SVT Raptor 6.2 does, there's not a heckuva lot to be learned from these handling tests. Our testing team reasoned that the 6.2 Raptor would not improve significantly on the 0.70g skidpad and 55.5-mph slalom numbers recorded in our 5.4 Raptor test vehicle. Moreover, repeating the exercise would have trashed another set of the Raptor's expensive BF Goodrich off-road tires, and given the anticipated negligible difference in the numbers, this collateral damage didn't seem justified.

Vehicle: 2010 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor 6.2-Liter
Odometer: 637
Date: 6/8/2010
Driver: Chris Walton
Base MSRP (with destination): $38,995
Options on Test Vehicle: 6.2-liter V8 engine ($3,000 -- includes LT315/70R17 tires and 4.10 electronically-locking rear axle), Navigation system ($2,430), Luxury package ($1,950 -- includes 8-way power and heated front seats; power-adjustable pedals; automatic climate control; Sony audio and heated mirrors), XLT Raptor Graphics Package ($1,075), Rearview camera ($450), Tailgate step ($375), Trailer Brake Controller ($230).
Price as Tested: $48,505

Specifications:
Drive Type: Four-wheel drive
Transmission Type: 6-speed automatic with tow-haul and off-road modes
Engine Type: Naturally-aspirated, port-injected V8
Displacement (cc/cu-in): 6,210/379
Redline (rpm): 6,000
Horsepower (hp @ rpm): 411 @ 5,500
Torque (lb-ft @ rpm): 434 @ 4,500
Brake Type (front): 13.8-inch ventilated cast-iron discs with 2-piston sliding calipers
Brake Type (rear): 13.7-in ventilated cast-iron discs with single-piston sliding calipers
Steering System: Hydraulic-assist, speed-proportional, rack-and-pinion power steering
Suspension Type (front): Independent double-wishbones, coil-over springs, triple-bypass dampers, stabilizer bar
Suspension Type (rear): Solid live axle, leaf springs, triple-bypass dampers with remote reservoir
Tire Size (front & rear): LT315/70R17 118S (44 psi cold spec)
Tire Brand: BF Goodrich
Tire Model: All-Terrain T/A KO
Tire Type: All-terrain, all-season, off-road performance
Wheel Size (front & rear): 17-by-8.5-inches
Wheel Material (front/rear): Painted alloy
Curb Weight, mfr claim (lb): 6,006

Test Results: 
0 - 30 (sec): 2.7
0 - 45 (sec): 4.7
0 - 60 (sec): 7.2
0 - 75 (sec): 10.7
1/4 Mile (sec @ mph): 15.3 @ 91.0
0-60 with 1-ft Rollout (sec): 6.8
30 - 0 (ft): 38
60 - 0 (ft): 152
Braking Rating: Below Average
Db @ Idle: 47.4
Db @ Full Throttle: 79.9
Db @ 70 mph Cruise: 73.0

Acceleration Comments: With a minimal amount of wheelspin, the Raptor develops a nasty axle hop -- so best run was nearly absent spin. Once underway, the Raptor makes amazing, bellowing sounds and is a full second quicker and faster than the 5.4L. Upshifts right at redline are snappy but smooth.

Braking Comments: Compared to other "typical" pickup trucks, the purpose-built off-roader Raptor has far more front-end dive (due to long-travel suspension) and longer distances (due to off-road tires). This is not a street vehicle any more than a Ferrari 599XX is. Pedal feel remained OK, yet I'm at a loss to explain why the 6.2 Raptor used up 20-feet-more worth of real estate to stop from 60 mph. There were no indications that anything was out of spec. Tires appear to be identical.