Since the Ford F-150 Raptor hit the dirt and dunes in 2010, the high-performance truck scene hasn’t been the same. Since it made the switch from a V8 to a turbo V6, Dodge and Chevy are still playing catch-up. And, in 2019, Ford’s street-legal, daily-driveable Baja racer is set to get more upgrades to increase its off-road capabilities further still.

One of the Raptor’s strong points is its suspension setup, so why not double down? For 2019 Ford Performance worked directly with Fox Racing to improve the supertruck’s shocks. “By automatically varying compression rates, [the] Raptor can now make the most of its suspension travel of 13-inches at the front and 13.9-inches at the rear,” according to Hermann Salenbauch, global director of Ford Performance vehicle programs. “Not many trucks need sensors to detect when you are mid-air, [but the] Raptor sets the dampers to full stiffness to help smooth shock performance as the truck lands.”

For when you’re not barreling through the trails at full-throttle and catching air, the new Trail Control systems adjust power and braking at each wheel to better assist the driver and truck over broken trails, and rock crawls up to 20 mph. To top it off, Ford also bolted upgraded Recaro seats to help keep you in place when you’re doing any of the above. When the Raptor debuts late this year, buyers will have a few new colors to choose from like Performance Blue, Velocity Blue and Agate Black.

Another For Raptor We’re Excited About

The excitement for a smaller version of the crowd-favorite F-150 Raptor is still at an all-time high here in the States, but there are still key details up in the air concerning what kind of truck we’ll end up getting. Read the Story