It’s almost Easter weekend, which means millions of kids across the nation will soon be hunting for candy-filled eggs. But what about car-loving adults who are still kids at heart? Surely there’s gotta be something out there. Well, thanks to Ford and its 2021 Raptor pickup truck there’s something for them too.
Much like Jeep, Ram and other car brands like to do nowadays, Ford worked hard to cleverly hide a number of “Easter eggs” all over the 2021 F-150 Raptor, including a nod to the truck’s racing heritage and its fighter jet-inspired name. Here’s what the all-new Raptor is hiding:
In the photo above, you’ll see Ford’s rendering of a Raptor equipped with the Raptor Graphics Package. The Blue Oval claims that the diamond-like pattern of the graphic is meant to be a gesture of inspiration from the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor’s afterburner nozzles.
And perhaps even more secretive are the tail markings in the lower rear corner of the bed. This might look like just an American flag and the letters “FP,” but look a little bit closer and you’ll see that the “P” has a small QR code hidden within it. Scanning it with your phone will take you to the Ford Performance website.
Ordering the Raptor 37 bedside graphic package will throw a giant map on the side of the truck. You’ll quickly feel like a cartographer as you try to disseminate just what the topographical imagery is trying to depict—but no worries, we’ve got the quick and easy answer for that, and it all points back to the Raptor’s rich racing heritage.
What you’re actually seeing is a representative topography of the Baja region where the famed Baja 1000 race takes place. The small waypoints connected forward of the bed’s wheel well is the racing route, pointing out the checkpoints from Ensenada to La Paz, Mexico.
Travel a little bit north and you’ll find even more inspiration for the construction of the Raptor. In addition to making the “Raptor” badging a bit harder to find (trading body-badging for embossing inside of the headlight and other small touches), Ford decided to pepper American flags throughout the truck. For example, on the side of the F-150’s dashboard, which is pictured above, tiny American flags are nearly hidden for drivers to see as they enter and exit the truck. Just FYI, these already existed on the regular F-150.
These little secrets might not be as delicious as candy, but they do prove to be a rather interesting touch. Next time you see one of these on the road, keep a keen eye on the small details and have yourself a little egg hunt.
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