If you took a compact performance car, like a Ford Fiesta ST with 197 horsepower, and nudged it by 20 horsepower, the behavioral difference would be quite noticeable. Yet when you bolt 20 more horsepower onto a vehicle that already makes 700 horsepower and weighs as much as the Moon, is the difference really that discernible?

We hardly see V8 performance machines anymore, as turbocharging and hybrids dominate the scene. Ford’s relaunch of the Raptor without a V8 in 2017, in favor of a twin-turbo V6, felt like a knife to the heart. Yet in recent years, as seen with the 2023 Raptor R, Ford delivered 700 horsepower from a 5.7-liter supercharged V8. However, the question persists with the RAM TRX at 702 horsepower, why did Ford dial it back instead of pushing forward? After all, this is a dick measuring contest, and every centimeter counts.

Thus, barely a year and a half after release, the Raptor R gains a boost to 720 horsepower and 640 lb-ft of torque. At this juncture, it’s a numbers game—20 more ponies don’t yield a substantial, noticeable difference in performance. On pavement, the supercharged V8 responds with authority when needed to outrun any scowling purple hair pedestrian. Unlike modern performance cars, the Raptor R lacks launch control; instead, the torque-management system in four-wheel drive and the drive modes do the heavy lifting. Put it in Sport and unleash it; in less than 3.5 seconds you’ll hit 60 mph as the 10-speed gearbox shifts with the precision of a race car. To put that into perspective, many EVs offer similar acceleration times. And since we’re indulging ego stroking, allegedly the Raptor R is about 0.2 seconds quicker than the RAM TRX.

Spotting a Raptor R in the wild is like trying to spot someone with plastic surgery in Beverly Hills.  The Raptor R boosts a slightly more muscular hood and a red-painted “R” in the logo—it’s a Waldo-level mystery. Hearing a Raptor R, however, is a different story. The 5.2-liter supercharged soundtrack sounds like an angry lion, or an ex-wife trying to get her alimony check. The similarities are daunting.

Transplanting the Mustang GT500’s 5.2-liter supercharged V8 into the Raptor is no trivial feat. Ford recalibrated the Raptor’s nerve to match extreme performance, adding a reinforced cast stainless steel exhaust manifold, a dedicated oil cooler and deeper oil pan for harsher duty, and upsizing the air intake for greater flow. Because the V8 is heavier, suspension tuning increased spring rates and reinforced frame brackets.

Off-road capability remains formidable. All off-road software and hardware carry over from the EcoBoost Raptor, rendering the Raptor R an unstoppable tank where the terrain gets rough. Notable features include the Fox Live Valve dampers, adjustable steering, and the imposing 37-inch BFGoodrich tires. There’s also Active Exhaust with four modes: Quiet, Normal, Sport, and Baja. But Ford, we could probably do with two modes; Quiet and “Load As Fff”—and yes, Baja grows raspy after highway speeds.

Now, I do have a rule here at SSB for off-roading, I never go alone. It’s prudent to have a partner to blame when things go sideways, lest you end up walking miles in the desert and hitchhiking 50 miles to the nearest town to call for help. To spell it out, we didn’t test the Raptor R’s off-road chops to their. We know it’s more than capable once the dirt ends; it’s really a matter of how far are YOU willing to push your $113,520 toy.

in sum, 20 extra horsepower in the 2025 Ford Raptor R serves primarily as an ego boost when parked beside a RAM TRX or even last year’s Raptor R. Either way, you’ll always be smiling, even if you off-road so hard you land upside down.