The 2021 Ford Raptor is getting its final rehearsals in before its debut, but that hasn’t stopped the highly anticipated truck from teasing us and the world one last time, with the revamped Raptor getting the chance to play in the sand before it enters the morning limelight tomorrow.
Kicking Up Sand And Raising Our Hopes
Like before, the Raptor jams out to Metallica’s Enter Sandman but this time instead of standing still, the Raptor dances through the sand like an elegant albeit very powerful ballerina with the setting sun serving as the perfect camouflage to hide its exterior styling. The brief video reveals a truck that retains some of the desert ready capability that defined the outgoing Raptor though we really wish the end of the video would have ended with a shot that didn’t make the truck look like an ant sized speck. Thankfully, we will get a much more detailed view during the truck’s official debut so we’ll just have to be patient in the meantime.
Is the 2021 Raptor Worth The Wait?
Based on what we’ve seen it appears that the rewards for waiting will indeed be worth it. There are still some key questions we have about the truck, but prior teasers have suggested that the off-roader will adopt much of the core styling language that defines the 2021 F-150 but with enough raw aggression and personality to truly make it stand out from its slightly tamer counterparts. That includes revamped front styling that helps bring some refinement to the front fascia while the rear also benefits from its own infusion of 2021 F-150 DNA.
The big what if is what will exactly power the 2021 model? We suspect that Ford could play it safe and continue to roll with the 3.5 liter twin-turbocharged EcoBoost V6. This engine is already a very solid player in the current model, and it also spares Ford the extra expense of engineering a completely new engine from scratch just for the Raptor. Rumors are buzzing that a V8 engine will eventually make its way into the new Raptor, but Ford has so far not officially commented on the matter, and we are left with only our very vivid imaginations as well as some fleeting glimpses of burly sounding testers roaming around Dearborn to try and formulate an answer.
Look for all to be revealed tomorrow when the Raptor makes its virtual debut. We will have a livestream link on our social media channels when it becomes available so you too can see Ford’s newest dinosaur inspired off-roader in the virtual flesh as it thunders its way down paths that are seldom traveled.
Carl Malek has been an automotive journalist for over 10 years. First starting out as a freelance photographer before making the transition to writing during college, his work has appeared on numerous automotive forums as well as websites such as Autoshopper.com.
Carl is also a big fan of British vehicles with the bulk of his devotion going to the Morgan Motor Company as well as offerings from Lotus, MG, and Caterham. When he is not writing about automobiles, Carl enjoys spending time with his family and friends in the Metro Detroit area, as well as spending time with his adorable pets.