We all should've seen this coming as the horsepower war finally makes its way to pickup trucks. Ram has its new Hellcat-powered TRX, GM has no answer to this because it's GM, and today, we've got a new report from a well-sourced informant who claims Ford is "without a doubt" dropping the Mustang GT500's 5.2-liter, 700+ horsepower supercharged V8 into the new 2021 Ford F-150 Raptor.

That would be a big upgrade compared to the current, 3.5-liter twin-turbo six-cylinder EcoBoost in the Raptor. At 450 horsepower, the V6 is plenty powerful, however, our source tells us that in the new Raptor, the supercharged 5.2-liter will make anywhere between 725 and 750 hp. Perfect for... uhh... I'm not sure. But it should be fun.

“Honestly, we had to counter Ram once we knew they installed the Hellcat in the TRX," a source within Ford told our informant. Considering they'll have the new TRX beat for power, that's definitely a good counter. And along with this update concerning the Raptor's drivetrain, we've also received a new spy shot (seen up top) that seem to hint at the truck's new coil-spring rear suspension—note the extra underbody cladding around the rear axle to cover up where the leaf springs would normally be seen.

Although Ford hasn't officially said anything about the truck's drivetrain, these leaks come just three days after the reveal of the Hellcat-powered TRX. In a segment as fierce as full-size pickups, Ford likely didn't want to wait around for Ram to eat its lunch. We speculated that a V8 could be heard in the video of a prototype that was shared last week, and though that sparked a fair amount of disagreement on social media, this report is further confirmation of Ford's apparent plans.

There is no official release date for the new Raptor as of yet—Ford also had no comment to make when we contacted them—​however, it's rumored that an early 2021 launch is likely. Until then, we'll just have to be happy with combing over spy shots and watching videos of camouflaged trucks burbling around.

The off-road-oriented FX4 package will return, unsurprisingly, and it will offer adventurers a new feature in exchange for a slightly higher price.

FX4-equipped trucks will receive an additional driving mode named Rock-Crawl, according to the documents we received. It's a hand-me-down from the Super Duty Tremor introduced for the 2020 model year. In the Tremor, Rock-Crawl operates in 4x4 Low and modifies the transmission and traction control settings, among other parameters. It notably detects when one of the front wheels loses traction and uses the truck's brakes to send power to the wheel that still has grip. We expect the F-150 will receive similar technology.

We can reveal the FX4 package will also include off-road-tuned front shocks, skid plates to protect the front differential, the transfer case and the fuel tank, hill descent control and tray-style floor liners users can remove and hose off. All-terrain tires (either BSW or OWL, depending on the powertrain selected) will be offered at an extra cost. Rock-Crawl aside, the 2021's FX4 package will be nearly identical to the bundled offered on the 2020 model.

Speaking of powertrains, the FX4 goodies will be available with the 5.0-liter V8, the 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6, the 3.0-liter turbodiesel V6, and the 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6. Four-wheel drive is mandatory, of course; the package was designed to increase the F-150's off-road capacity. All FX4-equipped trucks will come with an electronic locking rear axle, but its ratio depends on what's in the engine bay. 5.0-, 3.5- and 3.0-liter trucks get a 3.31:1 axle, while those with the 2.7 receive a 3.55:1 axle. The list of extra-cost options also includes a 3.55:1 axle for the 5.0, the 3.5, and the 3.0 engines and a 3.73:1 for either the 5.0 or the 2.7. Notably, 3.3-powered trucks will not be eligible to receive the FX4 package.

Buyers will be able to add the FX4 package when they select the XL, XLT, Lariat, King Ranch and Platinum trims. It will cost $1,005, according to TFL Truck, which represents a $100 increase over the package offered on the outgoing 13th-generation model. And, while it doesn't sound like Ford is planning to give its bestselling truck the Tremor treatment, a recent report suggests the smaller Ranger will join the family for the 2022 model year. It's not too far-fetched to speculate it will receive a Rock-Crawl mode (or something a lot like it) as well.