Drawing its name from both bird of prey and the velociraptor, the model line is intended as a street-legal counterpart of an off-road racing trophy truck.

Optimized for off-road use, the Raptor is fitted with four-wheel drive as standard equipment, a mid-travel suspension system, and all-terrain tires.

[1] The first production Raptor, molten orange with the digital mud graphic, sold at auction for $130,000 with all proceeds above the MSRP going to charity.

To optimize its capability as both an off-road and on-road vehicle, the SVT Raptor included several design features to maximize traction and control.

Sharing only its cabin and headlamps with the standard F-150, the SVT Raptor is fitted with a model-specific front fascia, with a composite hood, wider fenders (at 86.3 inches wide,[7] the Raptor was fitted with grille-mounted clearance lamps) and the Ford Blue Oval replaced by "FORD" lettering in the grille.

[12] Largely equipped between the F-150 XLT and Lariat, the SVT Raptor is fitted with several interior features specific to the model line, serving as functional upgrades.

Alongside high-bolstered seats, an orange stripe was added to the leather wrap of the steering wheel (serving as a visual centering reference).

Unveiled as a pre-production vehicle in January 2015 at the 2015 Detroit International Auto Show, the second generation of the Raptor was released in early 2017 for the 2017 model year, dropping the SVT prefix.

[15] As with the previous generation, the Raptor retained Fox Racing internal-bypass shocks with external reservoirs.

[4] Using a detuned version of the engine used in the Ford GT, rated at 450 hp and 510 lb-ft of torque, the twin-turbo EcoBoost is also shared with the Lincoln Navigator.

[citation needed] Alongside the previous generation, the Raptor is offered in both SuperCab and SuperCrew configurations.

[citation needed] Ford introduced the third generation F-150 Raptor in February 2021; the new base model retains the same 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 engine as its predecessor.

Slotted above the Wildtrak appearance package, the Raptor is fitted with suspension and chassis upgrades to improve its off-road capability.

[citation needed] In October 2018, Ford confirmed that the Ranger Raptor will not be marketed in the United States (until the second generation).

It is powered by a twin-turbo 3.0-liter EcoBoost V6 petrol engine rated at 392 hp (292 kW; 397 PS) for the Australian market while the European market is limited to 282 hp (210 kW; 286 PS) to meet EU emissions standards and paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission.