by Max
9. August 2009 11:22
Very few people have ridden in Ford's upcoming Raptor; we have. And allow us to tell you what: it's astonishing. Perhaps the single most impressive production vehicle ever, even if the prototypes we rode shotgun in were only 90% complete. That good, really? Yes, truly. Imagine bounding across the Nevada desert at 100 mph (fuel cutoff) and then leaping 45 feet through the air, landing, and doing it again and again and again. That is the magic of SVT and their Raptor.
With that in mind, what government agency could make use of such a steroidal, hardcore truck? No, not FEMA. Exactly, the Border Patrol. We can think of no vehicle more suited to running down a gang of coyotes that Ford's uber-off roader. After all, the SVT Raptor was developed in the grueling deserts of Southern California and Northern Mexico, the Boarder Patrol's home turf. And with 11.2 inches of gas-shock suspension travel in the front and 13.4 inches out back, there is very little – if anything – that will slow this beast down.
The Customs and Border Protection division of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security reportedly wants at least ten of these monsters. Pickuptrucks.com indicates that the government's purchasing agents are requesting bare bones work interiors instead of the fancy leather and Synced up cockpits found in the consumer models. In our estimation, this change would only serve to make the Raptor even more functional and/or intimidating. No word on whether the Feds would like to go for the 5.4-liter Triton V8, or the much more powerful all-new 6.2-liter V8. Either way, keep an eye peeled if you need to make a run for the border.
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