If they do an R that will probably be the difference in models between the two Raptors. Predator option only and it’s a much higher dollar truck. 3.5TT option and they can still sell loads of them for a much cheaper price as they do now. However they will diminish the exclusivity of the Raptor name for the “base” version. I wonder if they will lose sales as many won’t and can’t do the R. Now Ford has the Bronco and Tremor. They also may cannibalize there own sales between models. With all this going on, they might be better suited to produce one Raptor version.
That does make some sense. You essentially be splitting the Raptor market into high end Raptor and Tremor owners I guess. I do see two downsides to this though. One is that you're selling less Raptors overall effectively making the cost of unique Raptor parts higher. That could make the Raptor less profitable by itself. Perhaps not the end of the world though if it still helps sell F150s overall....which is sort of the point for the TRX.
The other point is that although it works for year 1, how does that work for subsequent model years for the Gen 3. You've essentially locked yourself in to SC V8 for years to come, since going back to V6 will be lower HP and a step back. For example, Ford could step down from V8 to V6 from Gen1 to Gen 2 because it was a HP increase. Ford wouldn't be able to get off V8 unless the manage to get some sort of hybrid. If they do the two engine system, they can drop the V8 more easily I think, and it will be a special release sort of thing rather than the new normal.
I will be disappointed if there is no PB Raptor, but if that happens, perhaps it's because Ford wants to see what public reaction to a hybrid truck is before committing the Raptor to it. Would it make sense for them to go with a V6TT with 50 more HP via Tune (and SC V8) in the first year, without spending much in development. In the 2nd or 3rd year, if PB works well in F150, you start using that with the Raptor as the main power plant going forward. The potential growth in HP from that point foward is with increase in battery HP/weight technology rather than trying to squeeze more out of a V6 or through MPG out the window with SC V8.