Cleverest Girl? F-150 Limited Gets Raptor Power

The F-150 Limited – which is, naturally, limited only to the number they can sell – currently sits atop the truck’s totem pole, usurping the King Ranch and Platinum as the most expensive half-ton F-Series pickup. This will last until the boffins at Ford dream up a new super-lux trim called the Rhodium Precious Bullion Edition.

Recognizing that folks who have the means to lay out nearly a hundred grand on a pickup want the most powerful engine available, the Blue Oval has decided to plug the Raptor’s powertrain between the Limited’s fenders. This means that 450 horsepower and 510 lb-ft of torque are now at the disposal of drivers who prefer sumptuous leather seats instead of desert-busting suspensions.

In the Raptor, this EcoBoost is a helluva engine. With power ratings like these, the F-150 Limited will leapfrog its competition to offer more grunt than any other light-duty pickup currently on sale. For 2019, the Limited trim will sport a new dual exhaust system with exhaust tips smoothly integrated into new rear bumper cutouts.

No, it doesn’t have a burly V8 rumble out of those rear sewer cannons but, at least on the Raptor, this engine does not produce an exhaust note that sounds like a vacuum cleaner. Instead, it sounds like Marilyn Manson screaming into a vacuum cleaner. I’m going to wager the engineers at Ford will tune some sort of audial wizardry more in line with the Limited’s luxury persona.

Ford has also tweaked interior trappings found on the Limited. Luxurious materials used throughout include a Miko suede headliner and leather-topped instrument panel and door panels. Tungsten trims of the previous-gen Ram 1500 employed suede on the headliner and, perhaps surprisingly to those who look down their nose at these cowboy Cadillacs, it was a feature that looked and felt exceedingly upscale.

New Camel Back two-tone leather will be offered on the truck’s seats. Its front thrones are described as “multicontour” and feature Active Motion for lumbar support and massage. A heated steering wheel is present, of course, as are heated and ventilated functions up front. Each new F-150 Limited includes a laser-etched plaque on the center console armrest bearing its serial number, in case you suddenly forget what you’re driving.

Eagle-eyed truck spotters can identify the Limited thanks to its design elements, which include raised Limited lettering on the hood, a fabulous throwback to late-70s/early-80s Ford pickups that spelled out F O R D in the same location. Polished aluminum 22-inch wheels, a unique satin-finish grille, and a natty tailgate appliqué round out the Limited’s exterior bling. Standard power-deployable running boards and a power tailgate release are on board, as well.

Your author can attest to the convenience of the F-150’s 360-degree camera, a boon to parking the thing in tight spaces. Ford’s neato Pro Trailer Backup Assist, tech which helps prevent the pretzelization of truck and trailer during reverse maneuvers, is present and accounted for. Those who think they’re too manly to use this feature can simply ignore it. As someone who regularly hauls 37.5 feet of travel trailer, I think it’s great. Infotainment includes CarPlay, SYNC 3, 4G LTE, yadda yadda yadda.

It should also be noted that our intrepid Associate Editor immediately said, “I knew you’d pitch this news story” when I, erm, pitched this news story. This either says something about his astuteness or my predictability. I choose to believe the former.

The current F-150 Limited starts at $61,360 for a two-wheel drive version before climbing to just under $72,000 for a check-all-the-boxes 4×4. Get yer leather-lined power fix when the 2019 F-150 Limited appears on dealer lots later this year.

[Images: Ford Motor Company]