If celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse drove a 2019 Ford Raptor pickup truck, he would most likely want to kick it up a notch. You know, because of his “BAM!” trademark. Now, thanks to tuner PaxPower, he can do exactly that and get himself a supercharged V8 or diesel-powered Raptor.
Be mindful of the fine print, however, because these trucks don’t actually start out in life as factory-built Raptors. These are actually born as V8-powered F-150s, and PaxPower simply Raptor-fies them with OEM Raptor parts and truly makes them look like they rolled out of the assembly line that way—just with a different engine. The Texas-based tuner can work with various trims, starting with the basic XL truck or a fully loaded Limited. Personally, we think a Raptorfied King Ranch actually sounds pretty darn cool.
That’s not enough for ya? For “just” $12,450, you can add a 2.9-liter Whipple supercharger to Ford’s 5.0-liter V8, upping the power to a stupefying 756 horsepower, easily surpassing the Raptor’s stock 450 ponies. Of course, this is until Ford drops a bigger supercharged V8 in the Raptor to compete with the Rebel TRX.
If V8s aren’t your thing, PaxPower will also convert a diesel-powered F-150 into one of their Raptors. There is a certain appeal of having diesel torque and the extra range that comes with the more efficient engine to spend more time out on the dunes.
Now, onto the price. The base Raptor upgrade package will set you back $24,950, but that doesn’t include the cost of the donor truck. Factor in another $60,000 to $70,000 for one of the premium F-150s, and you’re easily knocking on the $100,000 mark. And while you can most definitely buy a stock Raptor for that kind of money, getting one with a V8 or a diesel engine simply isn’t an option at the moment.
As we’ve confirmed a handful of times, the Raptor is a fantastic truck, but there is always room for improvement. A V8 and a diesel offering with all the correct Raptor hardware will certainly make it an absolute blast to drive on- or off-road.