Thursday, May 5, 2016

Forza Motorsport 6: Raptor's Delight

The next-generation Ford F-150 Raptor, much like the new Ford GT and the Shelby GT350, made its early video game debut at Forza Motorsport 6 since its launch and I was one of the happy people to get a first bite out of Ford's next-gen extreme offroader before this car reaches dealerships in the Autumn of 2016.

f150

Before taking a spin on the next-generation F-150 Raptor, let's have a quick intro. Making its world premiere at the 2015 North American International Auto Show, the next-generation Ford F-150 Raptor is the result of Ford Performance's superior off-road capability, from rock crawling to sand running.

Based on the 13th-generation Ford F-Series trucks, the new F-150 Raptor, like the normal F-150, takes advantage of advanced materials such as high-strength steel and high-strength, military grade, aluminum alloy, allows this truck to lose 500 pounds of weight compared to the old Raptor.

The new F-150 Raptor is powered by Ford's brand new 3.5L EcoBoost V6 engine that produces more power and better fuel economy versus the old Raptor's V8 engine. This engine is mated with Ford's first-ever 10-speed automatic gearbox.

It is now the most capable Raptor ever made thanks to its available Torsen front differential, standard FOX Racing Shox with custom internal bypass technology that works to damp and stiffen suspension travel over rough terrain, and new shock canisters. It even comes with the all new Terrain Management System with six preset modes help the truck power through different terrain and driving conditions.

f150 (2)

Sure, the new Raptor is an extreme offroader in its own right but here in the world of Forza Motorsport 6, it sounds too pointless because this is basically a racing game where all good cars race on tracks. Despite being too pointless here, I can hardly feel just how improved the new Raptor is aside from its miniaturized engine that delivers more than the old one but its military-grade aluminum bodywork shows just how light and durable this car is. Even though this is a major improvement than the previous model, handle with care because this is still a heavyweight juggernaut and you have to be very alert and very precise to handle even the slightest of corners.

Because this is the first truck in the world to offer a double-digit gearbox, you can really feel that ten gears in a truck is far too bulky on the shifting ratio but what are the odds? You never know until you try.

f150 (3)

This car loves to get messy in the rough but in FM6, playing rough is not a necessity here or could it be? Because this is an all-new model, let's find out how much the new model has improved over the previous one and for that, I have to go to the Top Gear Test Track and find out.

f150 (4) f150 (5)

This is going to be a fun science experiment because this is where I find proof if the all-new F-150 Raptor stacks up against the old F-150 SVT Raptor. Let's find out!


After sending these heavyweights their big run on the Top Gear Track, the results are in. The old Raptor did it in 1:41.106 while the new Raptor did it in 1:37.835, about four seconds quicker than the old one. Which means, even this truck doesn't have a spot to play rough in FM6, the new Raptor, thanks to its EcoBoost V6 engine, aluminum bodywork, enhanced dynamics, and a hunky 10-speed gearbox, this hunk of junk is no longer a hunk of junk. It's now...just a hunk. A hunk that can get through even the toughest jobs in the world of Forza.

No comments: