Ford Raptor VS. Chevy Reaper

Performance trucks seem to come and go, but the Ford Raptor has been a staple of the class since its inception in 2010, filling in the gaps left by the removal of the Lightning in 2004. Most likely to give Ford a run for their performance money would be Chevy. In 2014, custom Chev shop, Lingenfelter, presented the world with their concept for a Raptor replacement, the Reaper. Unfortunately, it would appear that Chevrolet never actually adopted the performance off-road concept, instead opting to spread the features across their vast array of optional packages. Since we can only fantasize about a Chevy response to Ford’s off-roader, here’s what our dream Raptor killer would look like.

Exterior Styling

If I have one complaint about the proposed Reaper, it was the front end. The nose hooked downward to meet a forward-leaning grille that looked like it came off a rejected ‘68 Mustang; in short, it was ugly - I may even go so far as to call it fugly. If Chev wants to compete in the style department, they’ll have to come up with something to meet the Raptor head on. Since Ford built the Raptor on a reinforced F-150 frame, my suggestion would be to use the Silverado frame with some added structure; it’s already plenty beefy looking, and if they reworked the grille a touch to be recognizably mean, it would certainly fit the mold. While I’m not so much a fan of the massive FORD sprawled across the front of the Raptor, it at least looks like it belongs on the truck.

But looking good doesn’t make you a champion, it’s what’s inside that counts.

Under the Hood

The Ford Raptor features a high-output, twin turbo 3.5L Ecoboost V6 on a ten-speed automatic transmission. This “smaller” (compared to the outgoing V8 of last year’s model) engine pushes out 450 horsepower and over five hundred pound-foot of giddy-up. The Raptor can launch off the line faster than most cars on the road, reaching sixty-two in just 5.3 seconds. To match these kinds of number, Chev should drop their big 6.2 L EcoTec3 V8 in there and tune it for a bit more pony power. Or do as Ford did and grab a smaller engine, say the 4.3 L EcoTec3 V6, and stick a twin turbo on there. Combined with their eight-speed automatic transmission, either of those choices could give the Raptor a scare.

A big engine means nothing if you can’t get anywhere to use it, though.

Suspension

One of the defining features of the Raptor is its high stance and big wheels - it’s virtually a road safe monster truck. Featuring FOX off-road shocks with fourteen inches of travel and massive 35-inch tires, the Raptor comes ready to rock out of the box. It seems that Chevy has diversified its options portfolio across the many performance packages they are offering, from the Baja to the High Country. The closest option to the Raptor, suspension wise anyways, is the Realtree Edition of the Silverado, which comes equipped with upgraded Rancho shocks, though it appears for all of the options Chevy offers, there is nothing to rival the Raptor’s high sitting stature directly.

Any premium vehicle should feel as nice on the inside as it rides on the outside.

Interior Comfort

The Raptor’s interior is stylish. It’s kind of like driving a concept luxury vehicle. Ford managed to jam pretty much every creature comfort they could into this truck. The flow-through center console provides ample storage for everyone, and the dash is cleanly styled. The hard plastic, however, looks and feels a little cheap compared to the rest of the truck, especially when kitted with leather seats. With that said, the Silverado 1500 (which I think the Reaper should use as a foundation) already comes with plenty of room, massive amounts of storage in the center console, and nice cushy seating. Running the numbers, the Silverado already has more head and legroom than the Raptor, which would give Chevy the edge here. My suggestion would be that Chevy uses their High Country interior as a base, replacing the embroidery on the headrest with the Reaper logo and either keep the wood veneer trim for an added touch of class or replace it with carbon fiber. While the Raptor’s interior is nice enough, there is plenty of room where Chevy can reign supreme.

Creature comforts are nice, but we want the tech and toys!

Available Tech

The new Raptor comes with pretty much every luxury feature you could want, from 360-degree cameras with spit view giving you an aerial view of your surroundings, to adaptive cruise control with stop and go so you can set your cruise during rush hour. If you plan on hauling, the Raptor also features Ford’s Pro Trailer Backup Assist, which takes the skill and guesswork out of backing your trailer up. If the Silverado wants to compete, it has some big shoes to fill. Fortunately for Chevrolet, it seems they’ve had their tech team working overtime. Available features through the GM brand that we would like to see included to compete would be the wireless charging unit and park assist functions.

Now that we’ve covered our bases let’s see who would come out on top in our hypothetical truck-off.

The Verdict

Before I get nasty comments about how this turned out, please, dear readers, remember that this is a hypothetical comparison using a truck that doesn’t exist. I realize that Ford created the Raptor for a purpose and came with the specialized equipment. The Reaper, while created as a concept for GM, never actually hit production and therefore some of the equipment necessary to compete with the Raptor just is not available through Chevrolet at the moment. That said, however, it’s hard to believe that Chev could compete with the Raptor even if they did have the parts available. The sheer amount of creature comforts and technology that Ford managed to pack into this dino is astounding. While the Silverado takes the interior space category hands down and could compete in the engine department, their lack of an available true off-road suspension system is their downfall.

This verdict speaks more to the obscene amounts of work Ford has put into the Raptor than any failings on the part of Chevrolet. I have no doubts that if Chevy decided to compete with the Raptor, they could. But, if they were to use their current feature list, the Raptor would eat them alive.