This isn't some hopped-up Ford F-150. It's not a Ranger, either. You're looking at the Ford Raptor T1+, a purebred race truck built to conquer Dakar. And to Ford's credit, it looks ready to kick some ass.
A chunk of that credit goes to M-Sport LTD. Ford partnered with the rally pros to develop the Raptor T1+, which explains the double-wishbone suspension front and back with over 13 inches of travel. Three-way adjustable Fox coilovers occupy each corner, four settings for the dampers. The truck rides on 37-inch tires mounted to 17-inch wheels, behind which are 14-inch brakes with six-piston calipers.
The purpose-built spaceframe chassis is made of T45 steel. A carbon fiber body offsets that mass, giving the Raptor T1+ a curb weight of 4,431 pounds. The design allows for nearly 16 inches of ground clearance and a super steep approach angle of 70 degrees. As for the V-8, Ford doesn't offer details beyond calling a "5.0-liter Coyote-based engine" with a dry-sump oil system and a tuned exhaust.
Ford will head to Dakar with the Raptor T1+ and four teams to drive it. Two of those teams include veteran Carlos Sainz Sr. with Lucas Cruz navigating, and Nani Roma paired with Alex Haro. Additional teams will be announced later.
"Taking on such a demanding race like Dakar is a daunting task for all of us at Ford Performance, but we have never shirked a challenge,” said Mark Rushbrook, global director of Ford Performance Motorsports. “To embrace this challenge, we have partnered with the best in the world with M-Sport and Red Bull, and I think it shows how seriously we are taking this project."
Before reaching Dakar, Ford will take the Raptor T1+ to Baja Hungary in August and Rallye du Maroc in Morocco in early October. The 2024 Dakar Rally kicks off on January 4, but you can see it right now at the 2024 Goodwood Festival of Speed.
