Although it was more powerful than the engine before it, American pick-up buyers still struggled to gel with the 335kW EcoBoost 3.5-litre V6 fitted to the current gravel-bashing Ford Raptor.
This was a plight somewhat echoed in New Zealand when we got our first taste of Raptor last year in the form of the 2.0-litre bi-turbo diesel Ranger Raptor. Although none of the internet's cries stopped people from buying them in their droves.
But after all that, it looks like the Raptor is set to go back to being a V8 after all in the form of a yet-to-be-confirmed special edition.
In a report by Car & Driver, it's claimed that the current Raptor is set to go out with an enormous hellish bang at the end of its production run with a special edition model that will be fitted with the supercharged 5.2-litre, 523kW+ V8 from the upcoming Ford Mustang Shelby GT500.
The report centres around "multiple sources from Ford", although naturally there have been no confirmations yet from the American car-maker. It's further speculated that the powerful pick-up will land either next year, or in 2021.
The much talked about news comes off the back of rumours that FCA are also planning to make a V8-powered super-ute, in the form of a Dodge Hellcat-powered RAM Rebel TRX.
Should all of this come to fruition, it's unlikely that Kiwis will see the Raptor on our shores in a right-hand drive format. However that hasn't stopped plenty of imports crossing the boarder.