I really question the accuracy of the rumor. I don't doubt a supercharged V8 is coming to the F-150, but I think the Raptor is a poor platform for it.
Maybe people are hearing rumors of the GT500 motor coming to the F-150 and naturally assume it is going into the Raptor because that is the only vehicle currently in production that justifies such a big motor.
Now that Hameedi is gone, maybe Ford's marketing department is turning this into a "big swinging ****" competition with TRX, but Hameedi was very adamant the Raptor was about pure offroad performance and is why he insisted on the lighter V6TT despite all the backlash.
For all the reasons I listed in previous posts, I think a supercharged V8 would be a much better fit in a street truck. Sticky, wide street tires. 24" rims with massive brakes. Super light rims and tires. Lower it. Stiffen the suspension. Drop the heavy skid plates, side steps, suspension arms, shocks, etc. And not only ditch the 700lbs of Raptor shit, put the F-150 on a diet and shed a few hundred extra pounds.
Redesign the rear axle and suspension to handle the extra power. Keep the Raptor's flared fenders for the wider tires. Add some aftermarket shocks designed for track use and this thing would be ready to rip for not very much R&D.
Personally, I don't think the existing Raptor has anything to fear from a 700hp TRX in the dirt. (the 700hp Shelby F-150 is a complete joke in the dirt if that is anything to go by) And a 1,000lb lighter, 700hp Lightning would flat out humiliate a 700hp TRX on the street. Ford would maintain its dominance offroad. And it would be the king of the street too. The TRX would be left as a half-baked idea that doesn't work well in either environment. Ford wins again.
That's what I would do if I were in charge. I also think that's what Hameedi would do if he was still in charge of the Performance division. But who the hell knows who is in charge over there right now. Hopefully, it isn't marketing. (Even worse if the bean counters took over.)
It will be interesting to see if Ford's marketing department creates a useless Frankenstein truck to compete with the TRX, or if it makes something truly special in a revived Lightening.
I wonder if it will have SVT logo again?
