It's no secret that we at The Drive are big fans of the 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor (and, similarly, the Ford F-250 Megaraptor). And while we're still waiting on that Jurassic Park tie-in, Ford has gone ahead and produced another special one-off Ford Raptor connecting the desert-bashing pickup truck to its real namesake: the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor fighter jet. And one dedicated individual just paid $300,000 for the privilege of taking that truck home.
Since 2008, Ford has been auctioning off custom vehicles every summer to benefit the Experimental Aircraft Association's (EAA) Young Eagles Foundation, which helps raise interest in the aviation community among children. They've mainly stuck with Mustangs, given the car's connection to the storied P-51 Mustang WWII fighter—but this year, the company opted to mark the F-150 Raptor's 2017 rebirth with a special edition befitting of its high-flying, supercruise-capable sibling.
So how does one connect a factory pre-runner truck to a multibillion-dollar fighter jet program? To start, by adding power. Ford Performance laid their hands on the 3.5-liter, twin-turbo EcoBoost V-6 engine and added a Whipple intercooler and a Borla exhaust kit, juicing the numbers to 545 horsepower and 660 lb-ft of torque. That's more torque than either the 2017 Ford GT supercar or the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE.
The F-22 F-150 Raptor also benefits from an upgraded suspension system—Deaver springs and adjustable Fox bypass series shocks—as well as beadlock wheels, Falken Wildpeak tires, upgraded brakes, that big honkin' lightbar across the roof, and a DeBerti spare tire holder in the bed. Visual additions include wider fender flares, carbon fiber accents, and of course, that giant F-22 logo painted on the doors.
The, shall we say, xtreme look definitely appeals to our inner seven-year-old child, but we're not sure that we'd plunk down $300,000 for it. But that didn't stop one Gary Ackerman, a Ford dealer from Las Vegas, from doing so. (We bet you won't be surprised to learn Ackerman also serves as an honorary commander and ambassador for the U.S. Air Force's F-22 squadron at Nellis Air Force Base.)