2010 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor

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Long-Travel Arm of the Law Interested in Ford F-150 SVT Raptor
August 19, 2009

2010 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor

With Ford’s new off-road super truck, the 2010 F-150 SVT Raptor, hitting dealerships now, rumors are swirling that the U.S. Border Patrol and Department of Homeland Security are considering purchasing about 10 of the pickups as replacements for some of their existing off-road patrol vehicles. And while those rumors remain just that, we were told at the vehicle’s media launch—which we’ll be bringing you coverage of very soon—that the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department already has ordered four Raptors and is looking at purchasing five more.

Why the Raptor? First off, its 12 inches of wheel travel and high-end Fox Racing shocks make it amazingly capable on rough terrain at very high speeds, an ideal quality for skirting the many desolate areas along the U.S.-Mexico border. Or in the San Diego Sheriffs’ case, patrolling some of the remotest areas of California’s Anza-Borrego desert. We’re also told that the rangers for the 80,000-acre Ocotillo Wells off-road park where we got to sample the Raptor’s desert-pounding ability are very interested in the truck and might even use one to petition the state’s lawmakers for additional funds.

Second, costing less than $40K to start and backed by a full factory warranty, the Raptor makes far better economic sense than the agencies’ existing off-road cruisers, vehicles like the Dodge Ram Power Wagon, which carry a higher base price and require thousands of dollars of warranty-voiding aftermarket modifications to even approach the Raptor’s capability. With our distressed economy, these are indeed powerful arguments for Ford’s latest F-150.

While the government agencies supposedly prefer de-contented, work-truck versions with four full doors, Ford officials were not very responsive to the idea of special, stripped-out Raptors aimed at fleet sales. However, they did concede that many consumers have shown interest in a SuperCrew model, despite how that might compromise the Raptor’s off-highway prowess.

LINK w/picture:Long-Travel Arm of the Law Interested in Ford F-150 SVT Raptor - Car and Driver Blog