Ford Motor Company recently hosted a media drive event at Michigan International Speedway to showcase their in-house vehicle upgrade program and the supercharged Ford F-150 FP700S was one of those test vehicles. The purpose of this event at the NASCAR track was to showcase the latest additions to the Ford Custom Garage program, which allows new vehicle buyers to have their truck upfitted for greater-than-stock form right from the factory. Actually, the F-150 FP700S was represented in two different forms – a two-door truck with rear-wheel-drive or a four-door truck with four-wheel-drive – allowing us to experience this high performance street truck in its two key forms.
Ford F-150 FP700S 8th Mile Pull onto the High Banks
Our time testing the new Ford F-150 FP700S started on the back straightaway of Michigan International Speedway, where we were invited to make a hard eighth-mile pull that is similar to a drag strip run. The key difference between making a hard pull on the straightaway of a NASCAR oval and making an actual eighth-mile pass at the drag strip is that the NASCAR surface is not prepared for a hard launch. This clean track surface allowed us to experience how well the F-150 FP700S regular cab pickup with rear-drive grips, but it also showed us how much more fun you can have with the four-wheel-drive version.
After the eighth-mile run on the back stretch, we had to make our way back around the track to the starting line without interfering with any of the other testing areas, so we made a lap of the high-banked oval track with the Ford F-150 FP700S. We were required to keep our speeds under 60-ish, but this cruise around the two-mile oval let us experience the ride quality of the lowered suspension system and the sweet soundtrack that is comprised of the Whipple blower whine and the roar of the optional Borla exhaust system.
FP700S Means 700 Horsepower
The heart of the Ford F-150 FP700S is the 5.0-liter “Coyote” V8, topped by a 3.0-liter Whipple supercharger. This is a similar supercharger setup to the unit found on the Ford Mustang FP800S, but the blown five-oh in the truck features a unique tune for the added weight and planned functionality of the F-150. When coupled with the Ford Performance engine calibration, the output of the F-150 V8 climbs from 400 horsepower and 410 lb-ft of torque to 700 horsepower and 590 lb-ft of torque, leading to one of the quickest trucks with a factory warranty that you will ever enjoy driving – and you will enjoy driving it.
FP700S is Not Just a Power Package
Ford Performance does offer a standalone supercharger package for the current V8-powered Ford F-150, but the FP700S package is engineered to be more of an all-around performance package. After the power increase is covered, the Ford team adds a lowered suspension setup, black 22×9.5-inch wheels wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport S 5 rubber, an Air Design front splitter and a rocker panel aero shield delete kit. The culmination of these upgrades is a half-ton truck that has a sportier stance, improved aerodynamics and improved handling – without compromising ride quality or working abilities. Add in the exterior badges and other visual upgrades and there is no question that the F-150 FP700S is not your average pickup.
Supercharged F-150 Flexing in a Straight Line
The Ford Custom Garage FP700S package is available for XL, STX, XLT and Lariat models with the 5.0-liter V8 engine. The XL is only available as a regular cab/short bed while the STX, XLT and Lariat models can be configured with the SuperCab or SuperCrew cab configuration, also with the short bed. Regardless of the body and trim level chosen, this package can be built on rear-wheel-drive or four-wheel-drive models. To give us a taste of some different configurations, Ford had two-door/rear-drive trucks and four-door/4WD trucks fitted with the FP700S package and we got to test them all in a drag racing-type environment.
As you might imagine, the Ford F-150 FP700S with rear-wheel-drive and minimal weight over the rear wheels presents a bit of a challenge when it comes to putting all of that supercharged power to the ground. The Michelin Pilot Sport S5 tires do a very good job of getting traction on the launch, but we did have to play with the throttle a bit as we left the line so that the FP700S didn’t just roast the rear tires. Once we were about 50 feet away from the start, we could put the throttle to the floor and use all of that power, but the tires were working hard to maintain traction through the mid-range.
On the other hand, the four-door, four-wheel-drive Ford F-150 FP700S allowed us to use all of that power right from the start. There was no feathering the throttle to get traction. I was able to go right to wide open throttle on launch and the four-wheel-drive system coupled with the sticky Michelin rubber did the rest. Since I was able to launch the 4WD F-150 so much harder, it felt dramatically quicker on our eighth-mile runs, with minimal traction issues on the big-torque launch.
An Awesome Street Performance Truck with a Full Warranty
As you might imagine, taking America’s bestselling half-ton and elevating the output to 700 horsepower leads to one fantastic street truck and a great alternative for Ford fans who aren’t interested in the off-road-ready Raptor. Really, the FP700S package is currently the highest-powered option for anyone looking for a turnkey street truck with a factory warranty. It pulls like a muscle car from a dig or a roll, and it maintains all of its factory trucking capabilities. The only question for prospective buyers is which FP700S configuration is right for them?
Even though the Ford F-150 XL with the two-door cab is much lighter, the added traction of the larger, four-wheel-drive truck gives it a huge advantage in a drag racing situation when everything else is equal. If you want a fast street truck and you don’t plan to make any other upgrades, the Ford Custom Garage FP700S with four-wheel-drive is the better choice. However, if we put a proper drag radial tire on the rear-drive/regular cab truck, maybe with some further suspension components that improve traction, it makes sense to go with the smaller, lighter F-150.
As for pricing, according to Ford, the least costly F-150 needed for the build starts at $39,585, which is the price for a regular cab XL with rear-wheel-drive. The FP700S package has an installed price of $26,895, so when added to the price of the donor truck, this 700-horsepower package starts at $66,480. Obviously, if you opt for a four-door model,one of the pricier trim levels or four-wheel-drive, the cost will go up from there. Also, that price does not include the tires and although our test trucks were fitted with Michelin Pilot Sport S 5 tires, Ford Custom Garage actually recommends Michelin Primacy LTX 275/50R22 rubber. When we looked up those tires online, they range from $300 to $350, so factor in another $1,500 for tires. All said and done, you can get into a Ford F-150 FP700S for just under $68,000, which is substantially less expensive than any other 700+ horsepower truck on the market in recent years.
Ford Custom Garage FP700S Package Content
Standard Package Contents
- 1. 3.0L Supercharger Kit
- 2. Black 22x 9.5-inch Wheel Kit
- 3. Black Lug Nut Kit
- 4. Rocker Panel Aero Shield Delete Kit
- 5. Ford Performance Fender Vent Kit
- 6. Air Design Front Lip Splitter
- 7. FP700S Lowering Kit
- 8. Matte Black Bodyside FP700S Decal
- 9. Ford Performance Rear Badge
- 10. Black F-150 Tailgate Lettering
- 11. FP700S Hood Decal
- 12. FP700S Keychain
