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.