Ford’s Best-Seller Doesn’t Sell In Europe
The Ford F-150 is pretty much a symbol of the American automotive industry at this point. The full-sized pickup truck is a pillar in its segment, being a best-selling model, a default choice, or simply just a great all-rounder. Fourteen generations on, and it’s still going strong, but not every market is lucky enough to be graced by its availability.
In Europe, the only Raptor pickup truck that you can get across the pond is the Ranger Raptor, and that comes with up to a 3.0-liter V6 engine, which is already plenty of fun. However, that pales in comparison to the F-150 Raptor, which has more power and torque and a whole lot more mass on its wheels, which is both a blessing and a curse.
For a multitude of reasons, the Ford F-150, even the base trims, never officially made it to European markets. The Ford Ranger is the more appropriately sized pickup truck because towns and city streets aren’t big enough to accommodate the F-150.
No F-150 for EU
According to a number of Reddit threads, the F-150 Raptor, in particular, is a “rare sight.” It may be a bit too big for the streets of Europe, but just right for the highways. Another Reddit user asked how “painful it will be” to move his 2022 Raptor over to France. One commenter said to sell it and buy a Ranger Raptor because it’s way too big. However, that hasn’t stopped some European car buyers from buying these pickups through third parties.
The Ford F-150 is an import in Europe. No Ford dealer carries them, so you will have to go to a third-party importer to get the American-sized truck on European soil. Apparently, there are several modifications that you need to do and duties and taxes that have to be paid, so in terms of cost, you’re going to be looking at pretty much double the manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) to get it on a boat. Either that or you can look for someone who’s willing to part ways with his truck in Europe, but that may be few and far between.
Americans can enjoy the F-150 in all its trims, with a starting MSRP of about $40,000 for the Base XL trim. With options, add-ons, and features, you could go as high as the Lariat trim level, which goes for roughly $60,000.
Either that, or you can get the ultimate – the biggest and baddest – Raptor, which will set you back almost $80,000 when fully specced out. Importing an F-150 Raptor to Europe will essentially bump the price up to perhaps about $160,000 or more, as we see in this Hollmann’s listing for a brand-new Ford F-150 Raptor.
Factory Fresh
With only 50 kilometers (31 miles) on the clock, this F-150 Raptor in Shelter Green comes with all the bells and whistles that you would expect from an F-150. It comes with the 3.5-liter V6 EcoBoost engine that delivers 450 horsepower, and the listing even states that it is Euro 6 emissions-compliant. The vehicle is currently listed in Germany at €135,422. Converted to U.S. dollars, that’s $155,241.01 based on current exchange rates.
So the question is, would you buy a brand-new F-150 Raptor at this price? It’s funny to think that the F-150 Raptor can be classified as an exotic in Europe, parked alongside G-Wagons and Ferraris in the same showroom. The unit in the Hollmann Showroom in Germany is quite fetching. Brand-new inside and out, the Shelter Green paint is also another uncommon color for an “uncommon” car.
