You do know that Ford already had built a race proven aluminum '14 EB 150 before right Its a '14 body, done in aluminum with Raptor suspension ect
And that one was just the little 2.7 EB
Ford tested the 3.5L Ecoboost in the desert in very much the same way. When that engine became available to consumers in the F-150, issues popped up for some owners... more owners than you might think. The majority of the issues were related to misfires and hesitant acceleration. You can find owners complaining about these issues on the web. Point is... I don't believe Ford's testing claims as much as I did a few years ago.
My comment about the Raptor being the wrong truck for the Ecoboost is based on my ownership experiences with two Raptors and one Ecoboost FX4. I used to own a 2010 Raptor 6.2 SuperCab and a 2012 FX4 SuperCrew Ecoboost. I picked up the Ecoboost FX4 because I was putting on a lot of miles between job sites, and wanted a reliable, powerful, comfortable, 4WD truck that offered good MPG. I didn't exactly get what I was looking for in the Ecoboost, and sold both of those trucks before buying the 2014 Raptor SuperCrew that I currently drive.
Ford is advertising that the new Raptor will be about 500 pounds lighter than the current gen Raptor. My 2012 Ecoboost FX4 was also about 500 pounds lighter than the current gen Raptor-very close to the advertised weight of the 2017 Raptor. My experiences have taught me a lot about F-150's and made me opinionated. Opinions like:
-3.5 Ecoboost trucks are too reliant on boost and fuel consumption for power because their engines are a little too small.
-3.5 Ecoboost trucks are even more reliant on boost and fuel in 4WD
-3.5 Ecoboost trucks have braking, traction, and stability characteristics that are noticeably different than those of 5.0L and 6.2L F-150's. These characteristics are more pronounced in slippery conditions: in the mud, in the rain, and in the ice and snow. Think... doesn't brake as well, doesn't maintain traction as well, is less stable, etc... even with all terrain or mud tires.
-My 3.5 Ecoboost at times felt like it thought it was a car, and not a 4WD pickup truck-attributed these to tuning issues and a small engine.
-Ecoboost tows alright but I got the feeling that the truck was too reliant on turbo power because it needed a bigger engine. I prefer to tow with a truck that is heavier (for stability) and more powerful (better acceleration).
-4.0L or larger displacement is the sweet spot for trucks this heavy. That 5.0TT would have been great for the Raptor. 3.5 is just a little too small, and just a little too reliant on boost for power.
New Raptor is slated to get a high power version of the 3.5L Ecoboost-different engine, more power... I get it. In my opinion, still too small.
The new Raptor won't be made of carbon fiber like the new Ford GT. Big weight difference. Big aerodynamic difference.
3.5L Ecoboost + 10 speed is smart from a sales perspective. Better MPG, Raptor styling, and enough capability to probably sell a lot of trucks. Many off-road enthusiasts are displeased though-like me.
All this is why I feel that Ford will offer a V-8 for the new Raptor at some point.
EPA regs are coming, but are too far out. Smaller engines, more efficiency and more speeds help now, but it'll be the next Raptor production cycle that really has to deal with these regs-not this one.
Disclaimer: I'm an auto enthusiast, and drive a lot of different vehicles at work. I'm a turbo guy (owned a Skyline), but don't like the 3.5 Ecoboost for the Raptor. I race in my free time, I compete in mud bogs and tough truck. I have spent a lot of time behind the wheel of a Raptor in the deserts of Nevada and California. I'm opinionated, but not a know it all.
