Correct me if Im wrong but didnt Ford say since the product is no longer an SVT vehicle there will be a larger quantity being built so they will be more accessible to the dealers? I know any dealer can sell SVT/FP products but I thought I heard somewhere in a Q&A video that the 2017 Raptor will be less exclusive this time around so everyone can get their hands on one easily? Ill try and find the video but I could also be completely wrong on this.
I can't seem to find the video either, but the impression I have gotten is that this time around they know it'll be a big seller and they intend to sell a lot of them as if it was any other product. Lots won't be littered with Raptors but they won't be quite the unicorns that they initially were.
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Once journalists get their hands on a 450+ hp raptor nobody will complain about power and delivery. Why then would Ford give in to demands for people who just want a V8 because they want a V8. I honestly don't see Ford following the script of the original raptor as far as motors are concerned simply because the original motor just felt underpowered and many buyers and journalists complained about this. 0-60 times in the mid 8s. Lol! Once the figures are out the raptor will be up there with high end sports SUVs that cost over 100k and some sports cars. This was the same story when M3/4 changed from naturally aspirated to straight 6 turbocharged motors. People got over it. I have noticed Ford reps whenever they talk about V6 over V8 they seem very arrogant almost to suggest why the hell would we do that when a small motor will deliver more power than the current Raptor. The raptor sales would have to seriously suffer for them to consider something that extreme in light of positive reviews. I am betting Ford faces the opposite problem of too much pent up demand that they end up having production issues. This we can all assume quite safely.
Well said.
I definitely expect there to be changes from 1st model year to 2nd, but there won't be any overarching reason to change the motor or offer an additional one as there was with the first gen truck.
Everything that the Ford reps say, everything put out by Ford PR and Ford marketing indicates that they are completely entrenched in EcoBoost and they are going to exploit the Raptor and even the new $400k Ford GT in order to push it. Ford appears to be calling the V8-or-die crowd's bluff, even if it means they might lose a few customers. They are under strict CAFE regulations, facing even stricter ones soon, and they are several years and heavily invested in their multibillion dollar EcoBoost strategy. Turning back now or a couple years in would be a tremendous loss of face and would undercut the goodwill they have already built.
M3/M4 is a great example. BMW, particularly their M brand, thrives on selling panache and sophistication, and going TTV6 from a V8 was the opposite of that. They even had to pipe in fake engine noise into the cabin to compensate. The forums were absolutely overflowing with people hating on the concept. Now they're overflowing with people discussing dealer pricing, optimal lease terms, and euro delivery.
Even the magazine auto journalists have let go, embracing the return of turbos quite wholeheartedly, despite still clinging to things like 3 pedal transmissions. Regardless of its sexiness, it will be a performer, so people will get over it.