Shelby Raptor to be released in the UAE

The F-150 is nothing less than an American icon, with one sold every minute just in the United States alone. Now, the newest and most extreme off-road version of Ford’s full-size pickup truck is available in Dubai showrooms, the F150 Shelby Raptor.

The 2018 Shelby Raptor has the luxurious and spacious interior of the standard truck, with the full range of modern amenities that American customers have come to expect. But the spirit of legendary race car designer and Ford aficionado, Carroll Shelby lives on in the engine bay of this truck. Packing a 5-litre V8 with a large displacement supercharger, giving the Shelby Raptor a colossal power figure of 755 horsepower – more than enough to climb any dune with vigour.

Based on the standard F150, the Shelby edition features beefed up long travel suspension and shock absorbers from off-road specialists Fox Racing. As well as upgraded suspension, Ford has fitted the Shelby Raptor with tyres suitable for high-speed off-roading as well as more aggressive flared styling.

But it isn’t just the ‘standard’ Shelby Raptor coming to the UAE, as customers can also purchase the even more hardcore ‘Baja’ edition F-150. Named after the iconic Baja 500 cross-country race that sees hardcore off-road machines traverse the terrain of the Baja California peninsula. A homage to these extreme racers, the Baja Edition features long-travel suspension, a variety of body modifications such as roof-mounted lights and running boards, and unique bumpers that set it apart from the millions of F-150s on the road.

Unlike the Shelby Raptor, the Baja edition features a tuned version of Ford’s EcoBoost V6 developing 525 horsepower and an equally monumental amount of torque. Sharing the same basic block as the 2017 Ford GT supercar, the Baja Edition has more than enough horsepower for some serious off-roading but still manages a reasonable level of fuel efficiency and CO2 output thanks to the EcoBoost technology and 10-speed automatic transmission.

Available in Ford dealerships in the UAE now, these limited-edition off-road monsters are on sale for 445,000AED for the Shelby Raptor and around 525,000AED for the more extreme and exclusive Baja Edition.