Enthusiasts have waited for the 2017 Ford Raptor long enough. It made the big debut at the 2015 Detroit Auto Show as a concept about a year and half ago. Now, the second generation Raptor is just several months away from reaching a dealership near you, or so we think. There is information that production of the 2017 Raptor will begin on July 18th, 2016. We cannot verify it at this time, but we did catch a production-ready looking 2017 Raptor driving around not far from our offices in Colorado.

The truck you see here did not wear any camouflage. It did have a “2017.5 TT” sticker on the rear window. This sticker raises more questions than provides answers. Does the “2017.5” suggest that the truck is being delayed until later in 2017, or is it simply a testing designation. Does “TT” stand for “Tool Test” prototype, or does it refer to the “Twin turbo” engine that is hiding under the hood.

Take a look at the tail lights. This is a new design with vertical LED blinkers.

The 2017 Ford Raptor will be powered by a “high output” version of the second generation 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine. The output is rumored to be around 450 horsepower, but official information is not out yet. The engine will be backed up by a 10-speed automatic transmission.

This Raptor is basically all new: from the frame, to the all aluminum body and bed, to the interior, and the terrain management system.

We will bring you all the latest on the 2017 Ford Raptor in the coming weeks and months. Our goal is always to bring you the latest news, views, and reviews of new trucks and SUVs. You saw it here first.