It's said to be the "most polished off-road truck" Shelby has ever built.
2021 saw Ford's very capable F-150 Raptor receive a host of revisions to make it even better off-road. But as talented as the standard Raptor may be, Shelby American has seen fit to improve on it further, developing what the performance firm is touting as the most polished off-road truck in its history.
To start with, the already-improved suspension gets a BDS suspension lift that gives greater ground clearance, while the 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 motor has been tuned to produce 525 horsepower and 650 lb-ft of torque. This is a considerable boost from the stock model's 450 hp and 510 lb-ft outputs. Shelby's performance enhancements include an intake with a high flow filter, as well as an aluminum intercooler, a one-piece heat shield, and an oversized air intake tube. A performance tune makes the most of the new hardware, while a Shelby performance exhaust provides an improved exhaust note.
The American tuning company hasn't released performance figures for their latest creation, but we doubt it will be as quick as Hennessey's TRX-based alternative given it has roughly half the power.
The cabin of the Raptor is a nice place to be, but that hasn't stopped the renowned Ford tuners from trying to make it even better. Aside from the standard SYNC 4 system with cloud-connected navigation and voice search, special touches include re-trimmed leather seats and floor mats, both of which bear the "Shelby Raptor" legend. Carbon fiber interior accents, billet racing pedals, and a special Shelby CSM serial number interior plaque enliven the sportier cabin. Tinted windows keep prying eyes from peeking into the upgraded cabin.
The imposing pick-up certainly looks the part, with the brand's signature racing stripes flowing over the hood and roof. Baja Raptor decals are also littered around the body, in case anybody doubts this F-150's pedigree. Functional steel off-road bumpers look great, lending the already tough-looking Raptor a more menacing look. Their functionality comes from embedded tow points front and rear, square LED lights, and in front, a 30-inch curved LED light bar. The 18-inch aluminum forged wheels are wrapped in thick 37-inch BFG KM3 mud-terrain tires.
Getting into the lofty truck isn't as tricky as you'd think; Shelby provides illuminated, power-operated side steps with rock sliders.
Two spare wheels are housed in the bed of the truck, secured to the bed chase rack system which is matched to the flat black bumpers. Fitted to the chase rack is a 50-inch, power-actuated LED light bar. Up front, a Baja Raptor hood with dual air intakes finishes everything off nicely.
"Carroll Shelby established Shelby American in 1962 and immediately pulled ahead of every automaker, just as he did on the track while a racecar driver," says Gary Patterson, president of Shelby American. "An important part of his legacy was the idea of a high-performance street legal truck, which his team pioneered in the 1980s." Of the new truck, he says, "it has the capabilities to back up its bold looks. From skimming sand dunes to maneuvering the asphalt jungle, it's by far our most polished off-road truck to date."
Including the donor truck, the Shelby Ford F-150 Raptor retails at an MSRP of $124,820 MSRP and features a standard three-year/36,000-mile warranty which includes the powertrain.
After wandering onto the wrong career path, Jarryd quickly abandoned his legal studies to pursue a career in journalism. An internship at a leading motoring magazine nurtured his love for reporting and prepared him for the world of finance and investment writing. Thrilling as it was, Jarryd's first love has always been motoring, and joining CarBuzz in 2022 put him back where he belongs - covering the latest automotive news and events. In his spare time, he trawls the classifieds for cheap (and ruinous) classic luxury sedans or simply cruises around in his own aging German luxobarge.