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3 T he IF P * H alton H ills* W H E E LS M ay 23, 2013 Probably the most outstanding fea- ture is the way the tires can be locked to the optional forged wheels so they can't become detached in situations where the air pressure is reduced when extra grip is needed. All the owner has to do is take off the outer decorative ring, put on the optional "beadlock" ring kit and put the tire back on. Ford says this is the fi rst time there has been a wheel capable of both nor- mal and beadlock at the same time and Ford has fi led for a patent on it. Also offered is a Torsen limited-slip front differential in the 4WD system that routes torque back and forth be- tween the front wheels. If the left front wheel loses traction, the system forces torque to the right front wheel, and vice versa. The front axle Torsen has 4.10 to 1 gearing. The rear axle is also 4.10 to 1, with an electronic-locking differential making for matched power usage and resulting in more stability. Taking a hard turn on the earthen off-road test track in 4L, the Raptor with Torsen cornered very well as op- posed to the F-150 4X4 we drove next that had a very wide turning circle (also in 4L) as do most 4X4s of my ex- perience. With all the power, the Raptor climbed like a mountain goat, but it also went down steep inclines with no sweat thanks to standard Hill Descent Control that is engaged by a button on the transmission tunnel. What it does is sense the angle of descent and controls the brakes and engine so the Raptor inches down at a controlled pace without driver inter- vention. Well folks, when you stop at the edge all you see is sky ahead, going over the crest takes a leap of faith. I've done this before but it always unnerves me. But this time there was something different. Last year Ford starting fi tting cam- eras to the nose of the Raptor. It's really a backup camera looking to the front with grid lines that twist to follow the surface and give the driver a look at what is ahead - and below. It can be viewed on the centre stack LCD screen. It even has a washer that keeps the lens clean in muddy, wet or snow conditions. The camera actives when the driver is in 4L and under 20 km/h. For me seeing when the bottom of the ridge was before tipping over was very reassuring, but still intimidating. And for those who buy a Raptor for its power in fl at-out desert driving there's more than just the very rug- ged suspension and tires. The Raptor comes with industry-exclusive internal triple-bypass FOX Racing Shox damp- ers and skid plates. The cabin, as was the case in all the F-150s I drove in Drumheller, is well equipped and, the case of the Raptor, comes with standard unique leather and cloth-trimmed seats with driver's side power actuation and six-way ad- justability. These seats feature Raptor- specifi c bolsters to keep the driver and fi rst-row passenger fi rmly in place, re- gardless of terrain conditions. The SVT Raptor interior features a unique centre stack and door trim applique fi nish and leather-trimmed steering wheel with thumb pads. In addition, SVT Raptor can be specifi ed with an interior color accent package, featuring contrasting blue against a black environment and real aluminum trim components. For 2013, SVT Raptor's driver con- nectivity has been upgraded to MyFord Touch using an eight-inch centre stack touch screen with fi ve-way controls mounted on the steering wheel. In addition, this connectivity up- grade features the 4.2-inch productiv- ity screen, mounted in the instrument cluster. Driver-confi gurable, this LCD screen includes menus for gauge set- up, trip computer, fuel economy and towing/off-road applications. Truck-specifi c MyFord Touch offers additional button controls and rotating knobs to accommodate work gloves. Going fast, going slow or going about your business, the SVT Raptor for 2013 blends performance with the ability to go just about anywhere at anytime. Ford F-150 SVT Raptor 2013 (at a glance) BODY STYLE: Performance light duty pickup. DRIVE METHOD: front-engine, four-wheel-drive. ENGINE: 6.2-litre, SOHC V8 (411 hp, 434 lb/ft) FUEL ECONOMY: (Regular) 18.5/12.8L/100 km city/highway TOW RATING: SuperCab 6,000 lb, SuperCrew, 8,000 lb PAYLOAD: SuperCab 421 kg (930 lb), SuperCrew, 439 kg (870 lb) PRICE: $58,599 WEBSITE: www.ford.ca Ford Raptor goes fast or slow or about its business The Ford Raptor also has a front facing camera that allows the driver to see what is below his fi eld of view such as boulders or in this case, coming down with the standard Hill Descent Control engaged. Continued from pg.1 Volkswagen showcased a new Golf GTI concept for the track-- the Design Vision GTI-- at the annual enthusiasts' meeting on the shores of Lake Worthersee in Reifnitz, Austria. More than 150,000 fans attended the an- nual gathering of the VW faithful to see the Design Vision GTI concept, designed by Volk- swagen engineers and designers. Based on the seventh-generation Golf GTI, the Worthersee concept transfers the design and power potential of the iconic hot hatch to the world of racing. Using all the fl exibility allowed by the Volk- swagen Group's MQB or Modular Transverse Matrix, the Design Vision GTI has a long wheelbase and short front overhangs. Under the hood, a 3.0-litre V6 TSI engine with direct injection and turbocharger, which produces 500 hp, powers the Design Vision GTI. This power is channelled via a DSG gear- box to all four wheels; standstill to 100 km/h takes a mere 3.9 seconds. With this drivetrain and bespoke sports chassis the GTI concept is capable of han- dling the most demanding of racetracks. Of note in the cabin are an onboard camera and a facility to allow the driver to network with a social community from the car. A large display to the right of the main in- struments shows the circuit being driven as well as times achieved. The display also com- municates with other vehicles on the course and calculates details about the current sta- tus of the race in real time. --Metroland Media WheelsTalk.com VW showed the 500 hp Design Vision GTI at the recent Lake Worth- ersee in Austria which is held annually and attracts devotees of the VW brand. Volkswagen's Design Vision GTI unveiled More than 150,000 VW fans attend