Ford F-150 Raptor: the truck or the toy

I was a lucky woman this week.  Ford’s elves dropped off a brand new 2013 F-150 Raptor and I can pretend that it’s mine for a while.  But, I’m not the only one who can have a Raptor for Christmas, and recipients don’t even need to have a driver’s license or a gasoline credit card.

Merry Christmas from Raptor and me.

Raptor sales have increased by 20% in 2012, and with this growth has come an increase of licensed products for off-road truck wishmakers and others.  “Years ago,” said Mark Bentley, licensing manager for Ford Global Brand Licensing, “licensing executive from all the top (toy) brands…moved quickly to sign agreements…”

From Fisher Price

Today, they are all out there from ride-on toys to radio controlled vehicles to simulator games that you can check out for your young truck lover or yourself (we won’t tell):

• Fisher-Price offers the Raptor Power Wheels ride-on (one of the most popular toys at Walmart suince its 2011 introduction).
• Electronic Arts “Need for Speed” series says Raptor is its number one selling racing video game, “Need for Speed Most Wanted”
• Microsoft Forza 4’s top-selling racing simulator game counts Raptor as one of its most downloaded vehicles.

  Forza Horizon: Halo Raptor

• There are 3D puzzles, sketchbooks and a range of other toys.

  Traxxas Raptor

None of these are on my Christmas list, but I will be sharing the 2013 model that I have here (in the great new not-white/not-beige Terrain color with about $6,000 in extras — priced at $53,595) with you over the next week.  Now, where to go?

2013 Raptor

Let me know your suggestions that are no more than two days’ drive from Austin.  If I take your drive, you win a Raptor tee-shirt (size large).