The day began with weather that would scare Jim Cantore, when the gales of November came to the sand dunes of Michigan's Silver Lake State Park. The thoroughly soaked mounds provided almost too much traction. Not for the guy in the rented Buick Encore, but enough to make even the steepest of dunes only a minor inconvenience to the 2023 Ford F-150 Raptor R. When you've got 700 horsepower and 37-inch bead locked tires, wet sand may as well be interstate slab.
The Raptor R is the long-awaited (but maybe not inevitable) zenith of the Raptor brand. In a world with no Ram TRX, would Ford drop a Shelby GT500 engine into a pickup? Science tells us that observation influences outcomes, and we have to think Ford observed Ram selling all the $86K trucks it could build and said, "Maybe we should do that."
Given the obviousness of the Raptor R's competition, it's a bit curious that Ford didn't go for horsepower bragging rights. With the TRX making 702 horsepower, why not give the Raptor R 703? That's something Ram might do. Instead, Ford arrived at an even 700 horsepower at 6650 rpm. Trucks like this are about big numbers and loud noises and taking dirt that was over here and throwing it way over there and then doing some sweet jumps. The Raptor R is spectacularly well-equipped to handle all of that, even without superlative horsepower.
This story is from the January 2023 edition of Car and Driver.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the January 2023 edition of Car and Driver.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Drivelines - Refreshed but Not Revitalized. The Forester has long begged for more driver interaction, anything to differentiate it.
Refreshed but Not Revitalized. The Forester has long begged for more driver interaction, anything to differentiate it. But its innate funkiness has been discarded in a roadside ditch. Sure, it’s practical. But if that’s what you’re after, go hug your dishwasher. This redo feels half-hearted when what the Forester really wanted was a whole new hear
Selective Evolution
Now hybrid only, the Toyota Camry features careful tweaks for its ninth generation.
Stress Reliever
IN THE LINCOLN NAUTILUS, the loudest sound you hear at highway speeds is the rhythmic respiration of the massaging seats. With just 66 decibels of interior noise at 70 mph, this slick-looking new Lincoln is on a mission of zen.
Mega Bus
A three-row mid-size SUV trying to look and feel bigger, the latest has size on its side but still lacks charisma.
Going to Extremes
The Porsche Taycan Turbo GT pulls out all the stops in its quest for EV supremacy.
What the Tech?
IT’S NO COMPLAINT TO SAY that given the slow visual evolution of the Mercedes-Benz E-class, many wouldn’t notice that the stately three-box sedan has entered a new generation this year.
The Full Monty Carlo
EVERYONE IS NAKED. Just putting that out in the open.
THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS
THE MAZDA MX-5 MIATA RF CLUB AND THE SUBARU BRZ IS MAY BE SMALL IN STATURE, BUT THEIR PERSONALITIES ARE LARGER THAN MOST.
Sterrato > Dirt Road
Nothing lost in translation here. Might as well call it what it is: the best Lamborghini Huracán ever.
DEAD OR ALIVE?
Is the new 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser the real deal? We venture into the wilds of Utah to find out.
