Ford unveils Raptor T1+ at 2024 Goodwood Festival of Speed

MANILA: Ford Performance has unveiled the Raptor T1+ at the 2024 Goodwood Festival of Speed in the UK. The vehicle is touted as an extreme off-road rig representing the pinnacle of engineering and design from the Blue Oval’s motorsports division. 

The Raptor T1+ was designed through a partnership between the American car maker and the M-Sport team’s elite rally specialists, such as Carlos Sainz Sr. and Nani Roma. The two, along with other drivers, will pilot the rig to challenge the Baja Hungary and Rallye du Maroc  in 2024 and the world-famous Dakar Rally in 2025. 

Ford’s latest Dakar contender received a custom-built spaceframe made out of T45 steel and carbon fiber body panels to meet the rigors of off-road racing. While it boasts 400 millimeters (mm) of ground clearance, it also uses 37-inch tires wrapped around 17-inch aluminum wheels and beefy fender flares.

Appearance-wise, it is a significant departure from Ford’s production models, but otherwise, it still wears a similar grille design fitted on the Ranger Raptor pickup truck. 

For utmost handling and durability in extreme conditions, the off-roader’s front and rear double-wishbone system is reinforced by adjustable three-way coilovers and four-way external bypass dampers from Fox. Stopping power, meanwhile, is provided by a set of 355-mmAlcon ventilated disc brakes paired with six-piston calipers. 

The Raptor T1+'s mechanical centerpiece is its 5.0-liter V8 engine, based on the Coyote family of motors like the one on the next-gen Mustang. The engine is purpose-built and fitted with a unique dry-sump oil system and a tuned exhaust. 

The Michigan-based car company did not provide power figures for the motor, but M-Sport director and Dakar team manager Matt Wilson said it had already completed its rounds of thorough testing.

“We have already completed 10,000 kilometers of testing in some of the harshest conditions we could find so we feel ready to take on this ultimate challenge starting at Baja Hungary next month,” Wilson said. 

Ford Performance global director Mark Rushbrook said motorsport events such as Dakar are fraught with challenges, but the Raptor T1+ pushes forward the brand’s mission of off-road dominance. 

“Taking on such a demanding race like Dakar is a daunting task for all of us at Ford Performance, but we have never shirked a challenge,” Rushbrook said. 

“To embrace this challenge, we have partnered with the best in the world with M-Sport and Red Bull and I think it shows how seriously we are taking this project. The Ford Raptor T1+ is a stake in the ground for our global off-road vision - we want to take on the best and prove ourselves in the toughest places on earth,” Rushbrook added. 

For those who want to see the Ford Raptor T1+ in action, its competition debut at Baja Hungary is scheduled for August 8-10, 2024. Next, two teams will compete at the Rallye du Marcon from October 4-11, 2024, while four teams will enter the Dakar Rally from January 4-17, 2025. 

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