Ford developing turbocharged F-150?

Dodge started a trend with the mighty (flawed) V10-powered Ram. Ford is now rumoured to be reenacting that scene with a turbocharged F150.

Pickuptruck.com says the Raptor, as it is codenamed, will be longer than the standard vehicle. Lower suspension, wider track, uprated brakes, Fox Racing-developed shocks, are just some of the “improvements” expected. Standard tyre size will range between 30 and 35 inches, thus stupefying almost anything else next to it.

A V8 turbo is not out of the question, something in excess of 500 bhp/ 373kW, and top speeds not normally associated with an event of this magnitude. Looks will be vastly different from the pictures you see of the standard vehicle.

We are by no means averse to such a development; as car nuts we get sweaty palms over such news. Yet we cannot help but ask ourselves, where on earth would this Raptor be driving at high speeds? California maybe. Autobahn? Probably not. Definitely not in mainstream Australia. These aren’t earth-shattering questions, but come from sheer curiosity.

- Note: an early version of this story reported that the vehicle might come to 12m in length. What were we smoking? Please disregard this gross editing error. These green gremlins are everywhere!