If you want a brand-new Ford Raptor R with 700 horsepower, you’ll have to pay $109,245. But with Factory Five’s new XT-1 Pre-Runner update, if you own a 2015-2020 Ford F-150 crew cab 4×4, you could get something for $24,990 that looks almost like a Raptor R. Factory Five says the tube-frame chassis is almost twice as strong as the standard ladder frame but weighs 100 pounds more. It is also waterproof, powder painted, has its serial number, and keeps the truck’s original VIN. It does, however, need extra body work, like fenders and a hood, which come with the XT-1 package because it is wider than the normal F-150. When the XT-1 kit is installed, the fenders grow to 90 inches wide, three inches bigger than the base Ford Raptor R’s fenders. The XT-1 kit has a handmade fibreglass body, a steel off-road bumper, a skid plate, a carbon fibre front fascia (which surrounds the headlights and grille), a new rear tailgate, and fog lights. The long-travel suspension of the XT-1 has Fox shocks with remote reservoirs and two sets. The front shocks move 16 inches, and the rear shocks move 20 inches. The back leaf spring suspension from the factory is also changed to a four-link brake. If you want to use Factory Five’s XT-1 kit, you’ll need to provide your donor car, which can be any F-150 crew cab 4×4 from 2015 to 2020 with a 5.5-foot bed and a 26-gallon fuel tank. The 5.0-liter V8 engine and the 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 engine with two turbochargers will work. You’ll also need wheels that can fit 37-inch tires since the XT-1 kit is made for those. There are some other things to do. Rear sway bars cost $399 and can make driving on the road more comfortable when you’re not racing in the desert. It takes an extra $199 to put on a spare tire. For $699, you can get a complete package with a trailer hitch, a standard bar, and axle-limiting bands. You’ll have to pay an extra $6,990 for carbon fibre body pieces. Factory Five hasn’t said when its different race cage and off-road/race box section lower control arms will be available or how much they will cost. This XT-1 upgrade does not affect the inside of your F-150, so you won’t have to give up any creature comforts to get a better Baja truck. You can easily find nice F-150s from that range of years on AutoTrader for less than $30,000. With this XT-1 kit, you can get one for between $55,000 and $60,000 (or a bit more if you want a fancier, more luxurious one), including installation. Even though it has the same level of chassis potential as a Raptor R, it costs much less. You won’t have the Raptor R’s 700-horsepower engine, but you can always change your engine in addition to using this kit. In August, you can get the Factory Five XT-1 kit. This XT-1 kit might be worth the money if you already have an F-150 of the right age and want a real desert driver without the lack of niceties inside.
