Ford Replaces US Marine's Wrecked Raptor With New F-150 Raptor R
Ford Replaces US Marine's Wrecked Raptor With New F-150 Raptor R
Tyler Vargas-Andrews’s 2023 F-150 was rear-ended by a 2017 Nissan Murano on an interstate in Virginia.
Ford honored a US Marine Corps Sergeant with a brand new 2024 Ford F-150 Raptor R following a serious crash on an interstate in Virginia.
Per Detroit Free Press, Tyler Vargas-Andrews, a 26-year-old retired marine, received the unit as a replacement to his relatively new Ford F-150 Raptor, where a speeding 2017 Nissan Murano rear-ended him and his wife at 75 mph. The driver of the Nissan crossover suffered minor injuries and was charged with reckless driving.
Vargas-Andrews shared the story on his Instagram, crediting the truck with saving his life, to which Ford noticed and reached out to him.
The retired Marine was even invited to the Dearborn Truck plant, where the full-size pickup truck is produced. During his stay, he spent some time with employees, including executive chair Bill Ford, the great-grandson of Henry Ford, and CEO Jim Farley.
Long-time Ford customer Vargas-Andrews was serving in a mission in Afghanistan when a suicide bomber attack in Kabul cost him his right arm and left leg in 2021. He purchased a 2023 F-150 Raptor as a gift to himself, for which he paid just over six figures (including other fees on top of the $77,980 starting price).
According to the Blue Oval company, the replacement is an even more extreme version with a total cost of $113,770 (including a $31,575 option package). The updated 2024 model boasts a power increase to a whopping 720 horsepower from a 5.2-liter supercharged V8. Aftermarket modifications will also be installed in the new pickup, including a wheelchair lift or modified vehicle controls like his previous Raptor.
The new 2024 Ford F-150 Raptor R replacement has yet to roll off the production line. But Ford said the truck will be delivered to Vargas-Andrews’ local dealer in Virginia.
“I guess first I should start with a thank you to all of you who have been following and supporting my own journey in recent years. All the tags and mentions of various entities of [Ford] did not go unnoticed. You guys showed out and so did they,” said Vargas-Andrews in an Instagram post.
Ford isn’t the only automaker to show support to military veterans. Brands like General Motors and Dodge offer military discounts, with Jeep paying homage to the US military by rolling out a military-themed Freedom Package to cars like the Wrangler.
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