The SVT Raptor is a high-performance off-road version of Ford's venerable F-150 pickup truck. The off-roader is powered by an updated version of the regular F-150's 5.4-liter Triton V8 three-valve engine, delivering 320 horsepower and 390 pound-feet of torque. Also available will be a new 6.2-liter Boss V8 engine recently developed by the automaker, deliver 400 hp and 400 lb-ft of torque.

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Pricing starst at $38,995 for the 5.4-liter version and $41,995 for the ballsier 6.2-liter edition. A luxury package with 10-way adjustable leather seats will add $1,995, while the exterior graphics package (shown in some photos) cost $1,075. An interior accent package for $395 adds orange mesh trim and orange seat inserts.

Ford says it performed extensive testing on the new powerplant, including subjecting fifty prototype engines to more than a dozen of the toughest engine tests at Ford's dynamometer lab.

The SVT division used a 62-mile durability loop in the desert of Borrego Springs, California, to replicate the conditions of the Baja 1000 race, to further test the performance of both available engines.

While much of the focus will be on the new 6.2-liter mill, the 5.4-liter Triton also features a number of new technologies. A new open-valve fuel injection strategy improves horsepower during towing and higher rpm operations, while delivering lower emissions and better fuel economy.

Of course, engines are only part of the equation. A great deal of R&D went into the truck's modified chassis and suspension. With 13.4 inches of usable travel in the rear suspension and 11.2 in the front, the Raptor promises to be a capable off-roader.

Raptor's wider track and softer suspension mean it will glide over obstacles with relative ease. The suspension's dampers were designed by Fox Racing Shox, giving the Raptor the only internal bypass shocks on a street truck. The position sensitive dampening internal bypass feature allows the shock to become significantly stiffer as it travels, preventing the truck from bottoming out.

The last component of the Raptor's connection to the ground comes in the form of BF Goodrich All-Terrain TA/KO 315/70-17 tires. Mounted on 17-inch wheels, these 35-inch tires are designed to work on- and off-road.

High-tech features include: Trailer Sway Control, an Integrated Trailer Brake Controller, an Electronic Locking Differential, Hill Descent Control, an Off-Road Mode, and an Auxiliary Switch Board to facilitate aftermarket add-ons.

The SVT Raptor is built alongside the new F-150 at Ford's Dearborn Truck Plant at the Rouge Center in Dearborn, Michigan.