I feel sorry for the guys and gals who covered the automotive industry back in the ’70s. If they weren’t able to attend an auto show, they’d have to hope they’d catch the footage of a big model introduction on a thick-ass CRT TV – after getting up from the couch and turning the channel knob on the set. These days, we can watch a vehicle roll-out, such as that of the 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, on our very modern, very mobile phones whenever we want.
Speaking of modern: The next desert-running, rock-crawling, nature-conquering Blue Oval beast will have a 10-speed automatic hooked up to its enhanced 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6, which will make more hp than the current Raptor’s massive 6.2-liter V8. Drivers will be able to dial in the pickup’s smart Terrain Management System to handle a variety of different road surfaces and environments, such as sand and mud.
Enlarged FOX racing shocks should be able to transport future Raptor-tamers to places that look absolutely prehistoric. An aluminum body that’s 500+ pounds lighter than that of the current truck should help cut down on the use of the dinosaur juice under the ground that owners of this metal meat-eater will be flying over.
You can bask in the wonder of 21st-century technology and the future of badass trucks by clicking the play button below. If you’re going to be in Motor City between now and the 25th, you’ll be able to see the next-generation Raptor for yourself at the NAIAS.
Derek Shiekhi's father raised him on cars. As a boy, Derek accompanied his dad as he bought classics such as post-WWII GM trucks and early Ford Mustang convertibles.
After loving cars for years and getting a bachelor's degree in Business Management, Derek decided to get an associate degree in journalism. His networking put him in contact with the editor of the Austin-American Statesman newspaper, who hired him to write freelance about automotive culture and events in Austin, Texas in 2013. One particular story led to him getting a certificate for learning the foundations of road racing.
While watching TV with his parents one fateful evening, he saw a commercial that changed his life. In it, Jeep touted the Wrangler as the Texas Auto Writers Association's "SUV of Texas." Derek knew he had to join the organization if he was going to advance as an automotive writer. He joined the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) in 2014 and was fortunate to meet several nice people who connected him to the representatives of several automakers and the people who could give him access to press vehicles (the first one he ever got the keys to was a Lexus LX 570). He's now a regular at TAWA's two main events: the Texas Auto Roundup in the spring and the Texas Truck Rodeo in the fall.
Over the past several years, Derek has learned how to drive off-road in various four-wheel-drive SUVs (he even camped out for two nights in a Land Rover), and driven around various tracks in hot hatches, muscle cars, and exotics. Several of his pieces, including his article about the 2015 Ford F-150 being crowned TAWA's 2014 "Truck of Texas" and his review of the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider, have won awards in TAWA's annual Excellence in Craft Competition. Last year, his JK Forum profile of Wagonmaster, a business that restores Jeep Wagoneers, won prizes in TAWA’s signature writing contest and its pickup- and SUV-focused Texas Truck Invitational.
