With its soft suspension, hefty curb weight, and massive 37-inch tires, the Ford Bronco Raptor isn’t exactly what one might call a competent drag racer, and yet, it’s still pretty quick in a straight line. Much of that can be attributed to the SUV’s twin-turbocharged Ford 3.0L V6 EcoBoost engine, which cranks out 418 horsepower and 440 pound-feet of torque. However, for those that want more, Hennessey offers it in the form of the VelociRaptor 500, which debuted last fall. Now, the Texas-based tuner is showing off just how much quicker that model is than its stock counterpart, a performance that’s quite similar to one we saw not terribly long ago.
To create the VelociRaptor 500, Hennessey Performance takes a stock Ford Bronco Raptor and adds an engine management software upgrade, stainless steel exhaust system, high-flow induction system, a larger front-mounted intercooler, and a dyno tune, which helps improve output to 500 horsepower and 550 pound-feet of torque – gains of 82 horsepower and 110 pound-feet, respectively – along with a bevy of appearance upgrades to boot.
As one might imagine, that makes the VelociRaptor 500 quicker than a stock Ford Bronco Raptor – but the question is, by how much? To settle that, Hennessey lined the two vehicles up against each other, and the results are undoubtedly interesting, if not terribly surprising, with the tuned SUV jumping out to an early lead and hanging on to it through the end of the race.
It is worth noting that the stock Bronco Raptor still held its own in this race, finishing a couple of car lengths behind the modified example, but a win is a win, nonetheless. Thus, for those looking to add a little performance to their high-performance off-roader, the VelociRaptor 500 is a compelling – yet somewhat pricey alternative, as the package costs $32,950, minus the donor vehicle.
We’ll have more on the Bronco Raptor soon, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for more Ford Bronco news and ongoing Ford news coverage.
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