Ford Confirms The ‘Predator’ V8 Won’t Die Soon
Ford has reached a tentative agreement on a new contract with the UAW that includes $8.1 billion in U.S. manufacturing investments and reveals the future for several products.
Production of vehicles like the F-150, Mustang and Expedition are slated to continue indefinitely, while others, including the Escape and Explorer, will at least finish out their current generations as several EVs are added to the mix.
One item that is left open-ended is very much not electric.
Although the Dearborn Engine Plant in Michigan is slated to begin assembly of a “new EV battery pack” during the contract period, which runs through 2028, the agreement also says that “5.2L SC engine will continue.”
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That’s a reference to the 5.2-liter “Predator” V8 that’s offered in the Ford F-150 Raptor R with 700 hp today.
A previous version of the engine made its debut in the 2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 with a 760 hp rating, but isn’t currently available in the new seventh-generation Mustang.
That’s expected to change as the Shelby GT500 trim typically joins the lineup several years into a new Mustang’s model run, although Ford has not confirmed this.
However, the $300,000 Mustang GTD coming next year will have an 800 hp Predator under its carbon fiber hood.
Unlike Dodge, which is discontinuing its V8 engines at the end of this year in favor of electric powertrains, and possibly a turbocharged inline-six-cylinder, Ford is very much committed to keeping them alive in the Mustang and F-150.
Ram has also announced that production of the 702 hp 6.2-liter supercharged V8-powered 1500 TRX will end this year.
“We have not identified an ending [for the V8],†Ford Performance Motorsports global director Mark Rushbrook told CarSales.com at the launch of the 2024 Mustang Dark Horse, which features a 500 hp naturally aspirated 5.0-liter V8. “Who knows honestly with regulations, but as long as we can we will [build V8s for Mustang].â€
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As for getting your hands on a Predator today, it’s not exactly cheap.
The F-150 Raptor R has a base price of $109,345, but it will soon be getting a boost.
Ford said that the 2024 models will have more than 700 hp, but not exactly how much.
It’s probably a safe bet that it will be more than 702 hp.
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