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General Forums => The Mess Hall => Topic started by: Jeffy on November 23, 2010, 06:12:35 PM

Title: U.S. Border Patrol finally gets its leatherless Ford Raptors
Post by: Jeffy on November 23, 2010, 06:12:35 PM
(http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/11/ford-svt-raptor-border-patrol-630.jpg)

http://www.autoblog.com/2010/11/23/us-border-patrol-ford-svt-raptor-spy-shots/

What the U.S. Federal Government wants, the U.S. Federal Government gets. And what the Customs and Border Protection division of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security wanted were at least 10 Ford SVT Raptor pickup trucks to patrol the area where Arizona borders with Mexico. Only problem is that Ford puts a standard leather interior in all its Raptor trucks, which is evidently against the ordering preferences of the Feds.

So, what to do? Put in an extra-special order with Ford, make a few phone calls (give us what we want... or else...) and patiently await delivery – a truckload of specially liveried pickups that Autoblog reader Matt happened photograph and send in to us. We went ahead and contacted Ford to be sure that it managed to deliver the authorities the Raptors it wanted, and we got an affirmative... sort of.

Ford would need the actual Vehicle Identification Numbers of the trucks to confirm individual equipment levels, and we're not about to march on down to Southern Arizona to grab them. But Ford says the Feds did order Raptors without leather and that the Blue Oval Bosses complied. So we're going with a definite probably. Have a look for yourself below. Thanks for the pics, Matt!
Title: Re: U.S. Border Patrol finally gets its leatherless Ford Raptors
Post by: neale_rs on November 24, 2010, 02:28:40 PM
Those are nice trucks, factory built to go fast in the desert.
Title: Re: U.S. Border Patrol finally gets its leatherless Ford Raptors
Post by: Jeffy on November 24, 2010, 11:09:19 PM
Quote from: neale_rs on November 24, 2010, 02:28:40 PM
Those are nice trucks, factory built to go fast in the desert.
Yeah, but can they handle rocks being thrown at them.   :wall:
Title: Re: U.S. Border Patrol finally gets its leatherless Ford Raptors
Post by: sharpxmen on November 24, 2010, 11:35:23 PM
why didn't they want leather in them? kinda weird since it would last longer I would think (or at least look better in the long run).
Title: Re: U.S. Border Patrol finally gets its leatherless Ford Raptors
Post by: Jeffy on November 25, 2010, 12:28:01 AM
Quote from: sharpxmen on November 24, 2010, 11:35:23 PM
why didn't they want leather in them? kinda weird since it would last longer I would think (or at least look better in the long run).
It's an unnecessary cost.  I don't think you'll find leather in any Fed or Regional car, marked or unmarked.