This Right-Hand Drive F-150 Raptor Is A UK First... But Costs £108,000
A UK car dealer has become the first in this country to offer a right-hand drive Ford F-150 Raptor, but you might want to sit down when you read the price (apologies to anyone who fell over after reading the headline).
While the Raptor isn’t officially imported to the UK with the steering wheel on the, ahem, correct side of the car, Clive Sutton of central London has developed a conversion kit to let UK buyers properly enjoy the fruits of the slightly bonkers F-150’s character.
Sutton Bespoke took precise mouldings of the interior components, then used “a blend of traditional and modern techniques” to mirror the dashboard and steering assembly. Speaking of the steering rack, the standard part has apparently been replaced with a better version, although the dealer doesn’t explain exactly how it’s improved.
The Sync 3 infotainment system has been reprogrammed to European radio frequencies and has full European mapping for the navigation. You still get the beefier dampers and the same twin-turbo 3.5-litre V6, joined to a 10-speed automatic for almost as many shifts per minute as revs per minute.
Now then: the price. If you walk into the showroom and ask for a brand new right-hand drive F-150 Raptor, Clive Sutton sales personnel will ask you for £106,800. If you’re a business buyer, it’s £89,000 plus VAT. We’re feeling a little queasy.
Interestingly, this exact car in the pictures is listed on Auto Trader for £107,940, which takes into account the optional extras fitted.
On the other hand, to convert an existing current-generation left-hand drive Raptor it’s ‘approximately’ £32,000 plus VAT, which is £38,400 to private buyers. Add that to a typical price in the classifieds and it’s actually cheaper to buy a new one…
For comparison, the Raptor sells in the USA for something like $51,400. A straight Google currency switch puts that at about £36,500. It’d almost be cheaper to fly to the US, ship one back and then add the conversion. Maybe.
Comments
meanwhile the owners in the UK
Hammond be like
Can’t wait to see how much dents that thing will have
Cool as it is, Ford could make UK fans happy with the Ranger Raptor that is apparently forth coming to Australia and North America. The other issue (and why I don’t think the ranger will sell like it used to in North America) is that the Ranger is already 90% the size of the F150 so if ford did do a Left hand 150 they would compete with themselves.
sorry I did mean right hand drive
Which is the issue, you cant tead sarcasm over the internet. I dont honestly believe its wrong, but the article’s vernavular had a similar effect. Its called exaggeration.
Should leave it the way it is. It’s rare and unique in the U.S. when a car is right-hand drive. If you have something left-hand drive in the U.K. It’s something rare and unique.
We’ve been converting these F-‘trucks’ in Australia for years…
Still driving my old F150 . Planning to trade in for a new one. Such a classic truck. Family drives this over rough terrain to get to the lake for a picnic. We just throw in a couple of premium auto trunk organizer https://goo.gl/r4TpQy and you are good to go.