Ford has a new vehicle ready to conquer the Dakar Rally in January. The new Ford Raptor T1+. The look of truck is awesome, but don’t underestimate its capability. The purpose-built vehicle is a collaboration between Ford Performance and M-Sport. Carlos Sainz Sr. and Nani Roma will get behind the wheel of this beast next month starting with the Baja Hungary race.
The T1+ Ford Raptor features a Coyote based 5.0 V8 engine providing torque and power to conquer the most rugged of terrain. The vehicle has a double wishbone suspension featuring FOX shock technology. There are adjustable external bypass dampers and remote reservoirs at each wheel. The body panels are all carbon fiber. The Raptor T1+ has a wide stance allowing for more stability at high speeds. The stance helps preventing the vehicle from rolling over in off-camber situations.
“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,” said Mark Rushbrook, global director of Ford Performance Motorsports. “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. The lessons we are learning from Raptor T1+, along with competing with stock trucks in Baja 1000 and Finke Desert Race, will help make Raptor vehicles even better for our customers.”
