Ford F-150 SVT Raptor SuperCrew debuts for 2011

Last year, when we actually had some contact with Ford, we were told that the Ford F-150 Raptor would come to the GCC eventually, but only in four-door form fitted with a larger 6.2-litre V8, instead of the two-door version with the 5.4-litre V8 that debuted in 2009. The four-door version has finally come to fruition, dubbed the 2011 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor SuperCrew.

Tuned by Ford’s SVT performance division, the Raptor is 178 mm wider than a base F-150 to make room for the additional suspension components that give Raptor its off-road abilities. Internal triple-bypass shocks by FOX Racing Shox, the first on a production truck, provide position-sensitive damping and extra suspension travel for extreme off-roading.

The Raptor also has unique cast-aluminum front control arms and SVT-tuned BFGoodrich All-Terrain TA/KO 315/70-17 tyres. These components give Raptor 284 mm of front suspension travel and 307 mm of rear suspension travel.

The previously-optional 6.2-litre V8 engine is now the standard Raptor engine for 2011, good for 411 hp and 588 Nm of torque. The SelectShift automatic transmission is also manually shiftable.

Other features include a standard 4.2-inch LCD screen, hill descent control, electronic locking differential settings and stability control. The screen informs the driver about steering wheel angle and vehicle angle on a grade during off-road maneuvers.

Expect the SVT Raptor to debut in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and a few other GCC countries by the end of the year.

Keep track of updates in the Ford F-150 buyer guide.