Only 1 American Truck Is Named After a Dinosaur
From the Ford Mustang to the Dodge Viper to the Volkswagen Rabbit, many cars have been named after animals over the years. However, only Ford has been bold enough to name one of its models after a dinosaur. Of course, this model is none other than the Ford F-150 Raptor, which is named for the velociraptor. Find out more about the only American truck named after a dinosaur and Ford’s entire Raptor trim lineup below.
Vehicle manufacturers love naming cars after animals
Before we dive into the ends and outs of the Ford Raptor, let’s take a look at some of the most popular vehicles named for animals. The Plymouth Barracuda, named for the fearsome saltwater fish, was a classic two-door pony car manufactured by Plymouth from 1964 to 1974. Another vehicle that carries the name of a sea dweller is the Chevrolet Corvette Stingray. The first Corvette Stingray rolled off the production line in 1963 and remains in production today.
Moving onto vehicles named after land dwellers, one of the most recognizable is the Volkswagen Beetle. Starting its production in 1938 and ending in 2003, the Beetle is the longest-running and most-manufactured car of a single platform ever made. Another of the most recognizable vehicles named after an animal is the British luxury brand, Jaguar. The Jaguar, named for the big cats of the South American rainforests, has been producing cars since 1935.
Ford is the only American manufacturer to name a vehicle after a dinosaur
Now it’s time to get into the ends and outs of the first American vehicle named after a dinosaur, the Ford F-150 Raptor. Named after the velociraptor famous from Jurassic Park as well as the bird of prey, the first Ford F-150 SVT Raptor rolled off the production line in 2010. This F-150 pickup truck trim was optimized for a top-of-the-line off-roading experience. The first generation of the Raptor was produced from 2010 to 2014. After a three-year hiatus, Ford brought the Raptor back in 2017, dropping SVT from the name and increasing its off-roading capabilities.
The powerful F-150 Raptor trim has been largely successful for Ford. However, according to MotorTrend, the Raptor almost never came to fruition. At the time of its development, Ford was tossing around a few names, with Terminator and Condor being top contenders. Luckily, Raptor won the battle and has given its namesake new life. As listed on Ford, the MSRP of the 2023 Ford F-150 Raptor is $76,775, which is drastically more than the base trim Ford F-150 with an MSRP of $33,695.
Ford offers more than one Raptor trim
While the Ford F-150 Raptor is a one-of-a-kind truck, it’s not the only Ford vehicle that bares the velociraptor namesake anymore. Another vehicle in the Raptor trim lineup is the Ford Bronco Raptor. Just like the F-150 Raptor, the Bronco Raptor is designed for top-of-the-line off-roading performance. As the highest-level trim available, the Ford Bronco Raptor is also outfitted with every bell and whistle imaginable. The Ford Bronco Raptor is simply an SUV that can’t be matched regarding power and performance.
According to Ford, the 2023 Ford Bronco Raptor is powered by a 3.0L EcoBoost V6 engine paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission and delivers a whopping 418 horsepower. The base model 2023 Ford Bronco is $34,095. In comparison, the MSRP of the 2023 Ford Bronco Raptor is $76,580. So, if you want to get your hands on the wheel of a vehicle that shares its name with a dinosaur, you’ll have to be willing to put a little more cash on the line to make it happen.
