The 2012 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor remains unique in the truck world: a street-legal relative of the high-speed desert race trucks called pre-runners, with all the power and prowess of a race truck and the tough-as-nails quality and reliability of the F-150 truck line. For 2012, Ford gave the Raptor even greater off-road capability, plus a new front camera system to see off-road obstacles.

 

Starting at an MSRP of $42,725, the 2012 Ford SVT Raptor delivers a comprehensive performance package that enthusiasts can not duplicate on their own using aftermarket parts.

 

Aside from Ford, automakers seem to ignore the high-performance pickup enthusiast. There have been some jacked-up pickups with bold decals and tall tires and such, but no other brand has attempted to build a true high-performance off-roader, one that puts such serious muscle under the hood and serious capability into the chassis as the Ford SVT Raptor.

 

It takes a mountain of power to move a big pickup with the alacrity of a racer. The Ford Raptor delivers with a 411-hp 6.2-liter V8 that also pumps out 434 lb/ft of peak torque. That makes the 2012 F-150 SVT Raptor the most powerful half-ton pickup you can buy. It’s an advanced V8, too, with aluminum cylinder heads and Twin independent Variable Camshaft Timing (Ti-VCT). You’ll find the same technology in the Ford Mustang GT and Boss 302 high-performance cars. The big V8 works with a six-speed SelectShift automatic transmission to maximize dig-in power in the SVT Raptor and allow manual shifting for increased off-road control.

 

To create the F-150 SVT Raptor, Ford beefed up an already tough pickup chassis. Widened by seven inches, it accommodates off-road suspension components exclusive to the Raptor, including unique cast-aluminum front control arms. The wider stance gives the Raptor an aggressive posture befitting the truck’s name.

 

The Ford Raptor was the first production truck to install as standard equipment FOX Shox, internal triple-bypass shock absorbers from FOX Racing. Preferred by serious off-road enthusiasts, FOX Shox provide position-sensitive damping control as well as additional suspension travel. The combination allows for extreme off-road driving and also helps smooth out the on-road ride.

 

A specially engineered chassis gives the Raptor 11.2 inches of front suspension travel and 12.1 inches of rear suspension travel. That’s the case whether you choose the SuperCab or the 145-inch-wheelbase SuperCrew four-door model.

 

The Ford Special Vehicle Team (SVT) worked with BFGoodrich^® to specially tune the 35-inch-tall TA/KO 315/70-17 all-terrain tires that allow the Raptor to blast over rough surfaces. New-for-2012 Euroflange wheels put the balancing weights on the inside to better protect the weights from off-road debris.

 

Already fitted with an electronic locking rear differential for maximum traction, the F-150 SVT Raptor gains a new Torsen^® locking front differential in the 2012 model. The Torsen differential gives the front-end much added grip, more easily allowing the Raptor to pull itself over obstacles and up steep grades, even when each front tire is encountering different traction than the other.

 

Off-road terrain can be unforgiving; unseen obstacles can cause damage and strand a vehicle. That’s why the 2012 SVT Raptor offers an available new front camera system. Projecting the image on the optional navigation system’s eight-inch screen, the camera lets the driver see what’s directly in front of the Raptor, even when the view through the windshield might be blocked. Mounted in the front grille, the camera comes with its own washer function. Just push a lever on the left steering column stalk to keep the camera’s lens clear.

 

Optional graphics packages let you personalize your Ford SVT Raptor, which is available in five colors: Oxford White, Race Red, Ingot Silver, Blue Flame and Tuxedo Black. Ford knows that off-roaders like to add aftermarket capability into their trucks and so equips the F-150 Raptor with a standard auxiliary switchboard on the center console. The four switches come pre-wired to the power distribution box to make it easier to install and connect electrical accessories, such as a winch or auxiliary off-road lights.

 

Feel the call of off-roading? Come in to check out the 2012 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor, the only high-performance pickup truck ready to take on the desert.