Ford SVT Raptor RV created by Phoenix Campers

Filed under: , ,

SVT Rapter Camper
Ford SVT Raptor with Phoenix Camper - Click above for high-res image gallery

The Ford SVT Raptor is a special kind of truck. After all, there aren't many mass production vehicles on this planet capable of performing the off-roading feats that the Blue Oval rig can do without breaking a sweat. But what happens when your trailblazing journey involves an overnight stay, and there are no Holiday Inns out in the middle of the desert?

Phoenix Campers thinks they have the answer in the form of a specially built pop-up camper unit that fits within the 5.5-foot bed of the Raptor. The snug-fitting camper top can be had in body color, complete with an extension of the digital mud available on the flanks of every Raptor. The camper features a refrigerator, three burner stove and a double sink with water tank. The main bed in the cabover portion is a full queen-size, and if out the dinette you're greeted with a blow-up queen sized bed with electric pump that measures out to a short but predictable 5.5-feet in length.

More important is the fact that this camper fits securely in the bed, giving the owner the ability to shut the tailgate for extra security. The unit is also relatively light weight, which means that this Phoenix Camper shouldn't kill the Raptor's off-road chops.

But while Phoenix Campers touts this camper's utility and sturdiness, the company can't hide the fact that this makeshift mobile home is less than appealing to the eye. But hey, if you've bought a Raptor expressly for going off-roading, you're probably more interested in the fact that this capable little pop-up camper won't do much to hamper performance.



[Source: Pickuptrucks.com | Truck Camper Magazine]

Ford SVT Raptor RV created by Phoenix Campers originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 30 Mar 2011 10:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Officially Official: Ford F-150 SVT Raptor gains SuperCrew, loses 5.4L V8 for 2011

Filed under: , ,

2011 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor SuperCrew
2011 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor SuperCrew - Click above for high-res image gallery

Ford's off-road beast, the F-150 SVT Raptor, has only been on sale for a year, but it's already getting a few upgrades for the 2011 model year.

Many reports and a few spy shots indicated that Ford had been prepping a four-door SuperCrew version of the Raptor (you know, for when the family wants to do the Baja run with you), and the automaker has officially confirmed the details (again). The SuperCrew's wheelbase is a full 12 inches longer than the standard Raptor, meaning it should provide a more comfortable ride along the way, and the 5.5-foot box can still haul everything you need when you get there.

Speaking of capability, all Raptors now come standard with more power on tap - the 6.2-liter V8 will be the only available powertrain for 2011 (sad trombone for the people who rushed out to get the 5.4). As we reported earlier, it stands to reason that the 2011 Raptor will get a price increase to account for the larger mill, but it's a small price to pay for an extra 101 horsepower and 69 pound-feet of torque over the 5.4-liter V8.

From there, the other enhancements for 2011 are purely cosmetic. Raptors can now be had in a new color - Ingot Silver Metallic (pictured) - and matte black accent graphics are available on the hood. These new graphics can be ordered separately from the box side decals, too. Inside the cabin, Ford now offers a standard 4.2-inch LCD display (called the "productivity screen") in the center of the revised instrument gauges, similar to what was introduced on the 2011 Super Duty.

Dealers will start taking orders for 2011 Raptors as you read this with the first examples hitting dealerships later this year. Ford's detailed press release is available after the jump.



[Source: Ford]

Continue reading Officially Official: Ford F-150 SVT Raptor gains SuperCrew, loses 5.4L V8 for 2011

Officially Official: Ford F-150 SVT Raptor gains SuperCrew, loses 5.4L V8 for 2011 originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 03 Sep 2010 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Automobile checks in for border control duty with Ford F-150 Raptor

Filed under: , , , , ,

Ford F-150 SVT Raptor serves and protects

Aside from the recent dust-up over immigration law in Arizona, we've heard very little about America's efforts on border patrol lately. Where once we heard all about fences, militia parties and night-vision, now the collective media consciousness is focused elsewhere. That doesn't mean that the challenges facing border patrol have exactly evaporated, of course. The men and women charged with keeping an eye on the line between the U.S. and Mexico still face mile upon mile of some of the most grueling terrain on the planet, which is exactly why the Yuma Sheriff went ahead and ordered up a Ford F-150 SVT Raptor before the official government-issue fleet arrives.

Automobile Magazine's Eszra Dyer decided to tag along with Major Leon Wilmot to see how the truck handles itself in an official capacity and just what this border patrol business is all about. As it turns out, the majority of the operation is concerned with large expanses of sand, moon dust, non-exploded ordinance and the cleverness of a people who want nothing more to outwit American law enforcement. If you've got a hot second, click over to Automobile for a quick read.



[Source: Automobile Magazine]

Automobile checks in for border control duty with Ford F-150 Raptor originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 15 Jul 2010 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Reader Spy: Ford F-150 SVT Raptor SuperCrew spotted naked and unashamed

Filed under: , , ,


Ford F-150 SVT Raptor SuperCrew - Click above for high-res image gallery

Autoblog reader Geo happened to be cruising on I-275 in Detroit last week when he was passed by a convoy of Ford F-150 pickups. Snugged smack dab in the middle was none other than the upcoming F-150 SVT Raptor SuperCrew without a stitch of camouflage to cover those two extra doors. Geo did what any good enterprising AB reader would do and clicked a couple of photos as the desert-crushing truck blew by.

The prototype in the photos has ditched the outlandish graphics of its shorter brother, but it still looks just as mean, and it's even slathered in silver paint, a color that isn't currently available. If the badge on the fender is any indication, this particular example packs the same 411-horsepower 6.2-liter V8 mill we were fortunate enough to sample not too long ago, which means it should have no problem jumping over hill and dale. If ever there was a backyard party on four wheels, this is it.


Reader Spy: Ford F-150 SVT Raptor SuperCrew spotted naked and unashamed originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 14 Jun 2010 13:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments