If you're unfortunate enough to visit Jurassic Park, it's the quick-footed velociraptor that draws ultimate fear. Evading such a nimble, aggressive creature requires a vehicle that's bigger, tougher, and generally more intimidating than anything else on the road. You might think the Ford F-150 SVT Raptor fits the bill pretty nicely, but Hennessey Performance disagrees: How do you carry eight people in one? In that case, you need to drop $149,500 on the Hennessey VelociRaptor SUV.
The VelociRaptor is a Raptor truck with the bed removed and the cab stretched using a few parts from the extinct Ford Excursion. Created by Texas-based Hennessey, third row seating comes standard, as does a Brembo front brake upgrade, larger wheels and tires, upgraded LED lighting as well as various electronic modifications. The package adds 600 lbs. to the already beefy super truck, and with the standard 6.2-liter Ford V-8 pushing 411 hp, the base VelociRaptor scampers to 60 mph from rest in a somewhat lethargic 7.5 seconds.
For most dinosaur escapees, that simply won't suffice. Fortunately, Hennessey will add a supercharger at an additional cost to bump power to 600 hp, making the 0-60 dash occur in a snappy 5.9 seconds. For an eight-seater monster, that's not bad, although its a second and a half slower than its only natural competitor, the Mercedes-Benz GL63 AMG.
The problem? Its appearance lacks desire. It looks like a 2001 Ford SUV with a Raptor stuck to its nose (which isn't far from reality). More to the point, it just looks big. And at $149,500? Fortunately, Hennessey doesn't need to sell many to fill its quota, as just 30 VelociRaptors will be produced per year. One things for sure, this brute tips the intimidation scale to 11, and it maintains its tough and rugged demeanor. But unless you're willing to stump up additional cash for a supercharger, the chance of outrunning a velociraptor remain slim.
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