We got off the bus after being shuttled from DIA to Wally Park one night last week, following flight home from New York; awaiting us in the parking lot was an oversized orange-and-black half-ton pickup.
The 2010 Ford SVT 4-by-4 Raptor only recently was upgraded with a 411-horsepower, 6.2-liter V-8, replacing the 5.4 V-8 used earlier this model year.
Drives ranging from the Raptor to the Bentley Continental SuperSports to turbodiesels to hybrids are reason enough that, after all these years, I continue to look forward to the next week and its new vehicle.
The Raptor, 7 inches wider than a standard Ford F-150, offers the means of offroading in high-performance mode. Suspension was redesigned with internal-bypass Fox Racing Shox, combining multiple spring rates and damping rates in one shock. It adds stability with extensive suspension travel.
Step up high into the Raptor and settle into the thickly bolstered seats, which seem to have enough grip to keep the occupant well-positioned under most any conditions.
With its apparent prowess as an offroad racer, the Raptor and its 4-by-4 package don’t necessarily remove the word “crawling” when describing “offroading.” I guided it, with outstanding control of throttle and traction in 4Lo setting, in a low-lying muddy area through deep ruts, over dirt hills and in and out of weeds. Maneuverability was outstanding.
A special offroad setting, activated with a button on the center console, turns off the electronic stability program, with more extensive locking of differential. Hill descent control permits ascent and descent of steep grades with little use of brakes. Turn circle is a wide 44.6 feet.
A 6-speed automatic transmission with tow/haul mode is linked to either of the engines – 6.2 or 5.4. Its tow rating is 6,000 pounds.
The SVT (Special Vehicle Team) Raptor is built in Ford SuperCab style, with a rear seat that will hold three adults. The back doors are rear-hinged and can be opened only when the front doors are opened. Rear-seat entry is somewhat hindered, though running boards are a help.
Highlighting the interior is a bright orange center stack and console, with orange inserts in the leather-covered seats. Other amenities include navigation, AM/FM/CD audio with satellite radio, rearview camera, power adjustable pedals, power-sliding rear window.
The cargo box is 5.5 feet long.
The more powerful engine and navigation system helped push sticker price to $49,020. Base price, with the standard 5.4 V-8, is $39,000.
As powerfully smooth as the 6.2-liter engine is, it was the thirstiest of anything I’ve driven for quite a number of months. It averaged 12.7 miles per gallon.
A look back
Thirty years ago, on June 28, 1980, I reviewed in The Denver Post a new Volkswagen notchback, the 1980 Jetta, borrowed from Tynan Volkswagen. Excerpts:
Outstanding gas mileage and a practical rear seat good enough for a 200-pounder should bring Volkswagen’s new Jetta some popularity in the subcompact field. For the past five years, VW has had one of the most competitive front-wheel-drive hatchbacks on the market. It’s not surprising, then, that the company’s new notchback model is based on the engineering success of the familiar Rabbit. The Jetta is a better-looking product than the Rabbit. A new two-door model with little more than 100 miles on the odometer averaged 35.1 miles per gallon on a Memorial Day drive to Yuma County in northeastern Colorado. The West German-built car, which showed excellent craftsmanship, was priced at $8,065. Air conditioning is an option which the test model didn’t have; a sunroof would aid ventilation. The 97-cubic-inch, 4-cylinder engine and 5-speed manual transmission produced quick acceleration for the Jetta, which weighs about 1,900 pounds. The fuel-injected engine develops 76 horsepower. The wheelbase of the car is 94.4 inches, the same as that of a Chevrolet Chevette. Its turn circle is an easy 31 feet.
Notes from e-mail
Q: Bud, I enjoyed the Mercury nostalgia in your column last week. My uncle had a ’39 Merc coupe, which I lusted after as a teenager in the mid-’50s, but it wasn’t to be. In 1964 and ’65, I had the pleasure of driving factory-prepared Comet Cyclones in the SCCA National Rally Series. Their straight-line performance from the venerable 289 far exceeded their ability to stop or go around corners. One of the most interesting cars sold under the Mercury nameplate was the Capri convertible of the early ’90s. It was basically a Mazda 323 chassis with an Italian-designed convertible body, assembled in a plant in Australia. Great car, good mileage. – L.H.
A: Thanks, Lee, we’ll miss the Mercs.
2010 Ford Raptor SVT
$49,020
(price as tested)
MPG City 13 Highway 17
Vehicle type: Offroad performance pickup
Wheelbase: 133 inches
Length/Width/Height: 220.9/86.3/78.4 inches
Weight: 6,007 pounds
Engine: 6.2-liter V-8
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Fuel mileage: 12.7 mpg
Fuel tank: 26 gallons
Warranty: 3 years/36,000 miles basic; 5/60,000 powertrain
Competitors: Dodge Ram SRT-10
Built: at Dearborn, Mich.
THE STICKER
$38,020 base
$3,000 6.2-liter V-8
$2,430 Sony navigation radio
$1,950 power adjustable pedals, power heated signal mirrors, heated front seats
$1,075 graphics package
$450 rearview camera
$975 Destination
PLUSES
Offroad performance
Comfortable cabin and ride
Fox suspension
MINUSES
Wide body hinders parking
MPG numbers
