What It Is: Time to let out a rebel yell and a “hells yes!” because Ford’s macho-awesome, off-roading-optimized F-150 SVT Raptor appears to have survived the regular F-150’s transition into aluminum-ness. What you see here is a test mule wearing a mashup of 2015 F-150 and outgoing SVT Raptor parts out for a lovely day of testing.

Why It Matters: Are you kidding? This prototype proves Ford has committed to keeping its impressive, Special Vehicle Team–tuned beast around for a second generation. This is a relief, given how, at this year’s Detroit auto show, Ford’s truck marketing manager revealed the Raptor wouldn’t be on the automaker’s 2015 roster. This made us sad, and threw the model’s future into question. These spy photos snap that future back in line, and have returned our zeal for life. After all, a world without enormous, fuel-sucking trucks with suspensions capable of bombing across the Baja at 80 mph isn’t a world worth living in.

View Photos Top: 2016 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor (spy photo). Bottom: 2014 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor Special Edition. KGP PHOTOGRAPHY, MICHAEL SIMARI, THE MANUFACTURER

Platform: Like the plain-Jane 2015 F-150, expect the Raptor version to once again ride on a steel ladder-frame chassis with more high-strength steel than before and feature at least some aluminum body pieces. The prototype pictured here wears the 2015 F-150’s aluminum crew cab, but marries that part with the current-generation Raptor’s front clip and (presumably steel) pickup bed. Of course, the pieces could merely be stand-ins to accommodate the truck’s wider track and beefy tires.

Despite insisting an aluminum-bodied pickup suffers no strength or durability deficiencies compared a steel-bodied rig—witness its running of an aluminum-bodied F-150 race truck in secret at the 2013 Baja 1000—Ford’s probably going to need to keep up the effort long after the F-150 goes on sale. That’s the price of being first through the breach with a new technology in a segment filled with traditionalist buyers. But it’s also a great opportunity for the Raptor. If Ford can show the SVT truck is capable of taking a beating in spite of its aluminum mix—and perhaps even link the truck’s assumed weight loss with enhanced performance—it could have quite the marketing coup. Plus, it would probably be more trouble than it’s worth to tool up steel body components for just one F-150 trim level. Material choice aside, look for the Raptor to continue packing a raised suspension, unique shocks, big tires, and a general bad-ass vibe.

Powertrain: Today, the SVT Raptor model comes only with Ford’s burly 6.2-liter V-8 engine, which served as the top-dog gasoline offering in the non-SVT F-150. With the next-generation F-150 seemingly topping out with a 5.0-liter V-8, we’re not sure what to expect from the Raptor. If the 5.0-liter becomes Raptor kit, we’d hope Ford uses aluminum as much as possible in order to keep weight down and performance nice and sweet, and forced-induction is of course a possibility. We suppose Ford’s EcoBoost V-6s could make the grade, but really, when you’ve got this much footprint, this much tire, and cojones this big, you gotta have a V-8 rumble.

View Photos KGP PHOTOGRAPHY, MICHAEL SIMARI, THE MANUFACTURER

Competition: Ram 1500 with Mopar Ram Runner Package, Toyota Tundra TRD Pro Series.

Estimated Arrival and Price: Since Ford’s already confirmed the 2015 F-150 lineup will be SVT Raptor–free, we’d wager on the high-performance off-road truck to arrive for 2016. Pricing could creep up from today’s value-laden $45,900 starting figure; doing so might allow Ford to incrementally mitigate possible profit drops from selling regular-grade aluminum F-150s at competitive prices.

This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io