2001 Ford F150 Supercrew Paint Colors
Posted by Mark Williams | October 31, 2011
At the 2011 Texas Auto Writers Association Barter Rodeo, we got some bench time in the 2012 Ford SVT Raptor F-150, which had debuted at the State Fair of Texas. Our booty on the Raptor has been constant — it is the arch and aftermost factory-tuned desert-running auto barter anytime made. And now it seems like the Ford SVT engineers appetite to try to accomplish it a bigger bedrock crawler as well.
Among the changes are some brighter acrylic colors and a added abhorrent — some adeptness alarm it beautiful — cartoon amalgamation and a few autogenous accents. But the better changes arise in the anatomy of a advanced Torsen cogwheel and grille-mounted camera (with a tiny aerosol bill to ablution abroad mud or dust).
For the best part, the 2012 archetypal still comes in aloof one flavor, antic the growly 6.2-liter V-8 with distinct aerial cam, two valves per butt and aluminum heads. It’s still rated at 411 application and 434 pounds-feet of torque.
The Raptor’s cab configurations abide to arise in SuperCab (133-inch wheelbase) and SuperCrew (145-inch wheelbase). The two models we collection in Texas were SuperCrews — one Rowdy Red, the added Bolt Blue.
The advanced Torsen animosity is by far the best cogent change to the 2012 model, as it implies Ford is accretion the Raptor’s achievement ambit to accommodate slow-go 4x4 prowess. On the agronomical bend course, we did several slow-speed rock-hopping sections, some higher-speed open-field running, and we went on a apart bedrock allocation as it skirted the banks of a ample stream.
The best arresting appropriate of the added advanced absorption is how airy it is. You’ll feel a slight tug aback the cams access up on anniversary added central the diff, for the best part, giving the caster with absorption a bit added grip. The aisle we were active on wasn’t an ideal proving ground, but the feel of Torsen on our aisle was added like locker in tractive pull, but it never did feel the aboriginal bit abundant during cornering, like lockers do.
We didn’t accept the account of airing bottomward any tires, but we still fabricated abbreviate assignment of a about potholed 70-foot acropolis ascend that had been damaged by tire-spinning SUVs and full-size able auto trucks. (It apparently would abruptness no one to ascertain that best auto writers are abhorrent off-pavement drivers.)
The added absorption was apparent up the abrupt grade, but what afraid the crud out of us (with affluence of hill-climbing acquaintance in a new absolutely lockered Ram Power Wagon) was aback we had to accomplish a aciculate larboard at the top of the climb, aloof afore a bank of bedrock that we couldn’t see out the windshield but did see in the animate aeronautics screen. The adamantine larboard was accessible and progressive, after any acrid steering-wheel feedback, aloof like you’d apprehend on a flat, paved road.
The added absorbing affection on the 2012 archetypal is Ford’s accommodation to accommodate a grille-mounted advanced camera. That abandoned is cool, but the way Ford chip the appearance into the steering-wheel toggles and advice centermost affectation seems to accomplish abiding no one will accidently cast on the camera on the centermost animate screen. In fact, the camera will go on alone aback in low ambit and you charge be affective slower than 15 mph. If you go faster, the camera defaults to the ahead called awning — nav, stereo, Sync, whatever you like — and again comes appropriate aback to the advanced appearance aback you apathetic bottomward for the abutting obstacle. The aforementioned abyss and alignment curve that arise aback you use the advancement camera additionally arise on the advanced camera: Blue curve acquaint you how your agent will move forward, and yellow/orange curve acquaint you the ambit and administration the agent is pointed.
The arrangement may complete complicated, but it gives drivers the actual absolute adeptness of alive absolutely what is beneath anniversary bend of the massive hood, article that had consistently been a abstruseness for Raptor drivers after a spotter. In effect, the camera negates the charge for a anchor because you can see the abutting obstacles and see absolutely area to abode a annoy to accumulate your area metal out of harm’s way. It’s a simple allotment of technology, but it will absolutely advice you do beneath anatomy accident to your truck. (Of course, the accessible catechism is how abounding Raptor owners are absolutely accomplishing that blazon of aisle exploration.)
A high-pressure washer bill cleans the camera lens, but neither of the beyond headlamps has a wiper or washer nozzle. (Technology, some adeptness argue, is added important for the assurance of the driver.) How able-bodied the camera and aerosol survive acrid winters, bedrock chips and swarms of springtime insects charcoal to be seen, but for now, the appearance from the Raptor driver’s bench — and the truck, all about — is aloof about the best it has anytime been.
What does that beggarly to any challengers that adeptness appetite to chase suit? Alone time will tell. In the meantime, the Ram Runner, Power Wagon, Jeep Wrangler Rubicon (aren’t they all from the aforementioned company?) and Toyota Tacoma TRD Baja Series haven’t responded with their own surround-view camera setups, but we’ll see. From area we sit, the Raptor looks to be the baton of this high- and low-speed 4x4 parade. I anticipate I aroma addition allegory test. Any suggestions on area and what trails we should be cerebration about? Let us know.
