- Ford's 2025 Dakar Rally vehicle will be the Raptor T1+
- The 2025 Dakar Rally is in January
- Ford will enter the Raptor T1+ in two off-road rallies ahead of Dakar
Ford has built a truck to own off-road rally courses.
On Friday, the Ford Raptor T1+ debuted at the 2024 Goodwood Festival of Speed. The off-roader has been custom built around parameters specifically set to tackle, and win, the 2025 Dakar Rally in January.
Ford has been quiet about key details of the rally build.It's a collaboration between Ford Performance and M-Sport Ltd. It taps an engine no consumer can buy in any street-legal Raptor product: Ford's naturally-aspirated 5.0-liter Coyote V-8 engine. No performance numbers have been shared for the engine, but Ford did say it's fitted with a dry-sump oil system and exhaust both designed for the Dakar rally's conditions.
Ford Raptor T1+
Ford fits the Raptor T1+ with a custom independent front and rear double-wishbone suspension system co-developed with Fox. Coilovers pair with three-way adjustable and four-way adjustable dampers with external bypass and remote reservoirs to help shed heat buildup. Ford said the Raptor T1+ has up to 13.77 inches of wheel travel and 15.74 inches of ground clearance. Approach angle checks in at over 70 degrees, but no departure or breakover angle has been released.
The off-roader rides on 17-inch aluminum wheels wrapped in 37-inch off-road tires. A set of 355-mm Alcon ventilated disc brakes paired with mono block calipers sit at all four corners.
Ford Raptor T1+
The chassis is a purpose-built T45 steel space frame covered with carbon fiber body panels. The grille simply says Ford in big capital letters. The entire package weighs 4,431 pounds and is 90.55 inches wide.
Ford has prepared the Raptor T1+ by testing it 6,213 miles in the harshest environments it could find. Ahead of the 2025 Dakar Rally the Raptor T1+ will compete at the 2024 Baja Hungary in August and 2024 Rallye du Maroc in October.
In May, Ford announced Carlos Sainz Sr.—the father of Ferrari F1 driver Carlos Sainz Jr.—and Nani Roma would be two of the four drivers of its Dakar off-roader. Additional drivers will be announced later this year.
