Like the dinosaur that shares the same name, seeing a Ford Raptor on the road is quite the rare sight. (Ok, so you never see dinosaurs, but you know what I mean).
How often do you see this nameplate on the road?
In fact, so rare is the Ford Raptor, that its owners even have an unwritten code. “If you drive past a Raptor or if he’s in the other lane coming at you, you have to wave at each other,” says Adam Gawn, owner of a 2010 model.
Gawn, a financial banker in Aurora, Ont., only knows of two other Raptors in his area.
Owning this beast, which boasts a 6.2-litre, V-8 engine with over 400 horsepower, certainly has its perks and that includes always catching the attention of others. “It’s unique and definitely a head turner,” he says.
“Especially when I pull up to the gas station. Everybody comments, ‘nice truck.’”
A truck fella right from the start
Gawn was born and raised in a Ford family in Newmarket, Ont. With parents who own a construction company, he grew up around trucks, primarily F-150s and F-350s. For someone as outgoing as Gawn, it seemed very fitting that when he was looking for a new truck to replace his 2006 F-150 XLR, the 2010 Raptor caught his eye.
It’s easy to get noticed with this beast.
“I’ve always been into the truck,” he said. “I tow a lot of stuff. I need the back for a reason. I’ve had to move to four different places and needed to use the truck.
“I like being flashy but still having a tough truck.”
Not for sharing
The dirt bike can be shared. But Adam can’t say the same about the Raptor.
During the warmer months and when he’s not immersed in his work at the bank, Gawn travels to the family cottage in Orillia, Ont., usually towing a boat, Sea-Doos or dirt bikes. The dirt bike interest is something Gawn shares with his dad. But the sharing doesn’t extend to everything – like his Raptor, for instance.
“He wants it for himself,” Gawn says with a smile. “He makes any excuse to take my truck somewhere. Luckily, I moved out, so now he has to call and ask.”
Have you ever spotted a Ford Raptor? Let us know in the comments section. Also, check out some more photos below of Gawn’s beloved beast.
