Related: 1992-1995 Dodge Viper: Costs, Facts, And Figures Very sporty white-faced gauges were an SVT trademark and gave the Lightning a much racier feel even when it was standing still. The late '90s and early '00s were too early for any sort of GPS or digital display ( at least for anything less than the highest end cars of the day), so owners had to make due with traditional analog HVAC controls, an AM/FM stereo that had an optional 6-disc CD changer. ![]() The column shifter managed to make the interior feel roomier than it actually was. Inside the Ford SVT Lightning, there were two well bolstered supportive seats with a huge armrest (with one cupholder) center stage. Sure, fuel economy was a paltry 13/17/15 city/highway/combined, but no one ever wanted to buy one of these bad boys for their fuel efficiency. Big four-wheel disc brakes combined with the master cylinder borrowed from the bigger F-250 helped reign in the big brick from 60-0 mph in a reasonable 161 feet. Having had the opportunity to sit behind the wheels of one of these hardcore haulers, your humble author can personally vouch for the SVT's ability to launch from 0-60 mph in an organ-shifting 5.0 seconds flat, 0-100 mph in just 12.5 seconds and through the quarter mile in Camaro-fighting 13.4 seconds at 105 mph on its way to a top speed of a drag-limited 147 mph. Related: 1996-2002 Fourth Generation Pontiac Trans Am WS6: Costs, Facts, And Figuresīut even if you couldn't load up that much at Home Depot quite as much as the standard issue F-250 parked next to you, you could damn sure get to and from the store faster than that F-250, and almost any other truck of its day, could ever dream. Towing capacity was a respectable 5,000 pounds, while payload capacity tapped out after a dismal 800 pounds for the first three years and then got upped to`1,350 for the final two years. Sure, when it came time to perform like a 'regular' truck, the Lightning was not at the top of its class by any stretch. It was no secret that the SVT Lightning was a hefty 4,700 pounds, which is why Ford opted for a two-wheel drive, two-door, two-seat, step-side design as it was the lightest version of the F-150 available. Sure you may have heard of Bentley's Flying Spur, but some might not remember that the Ford was often referred to as the "flying brick". Even though Ford kept a traditional leaf-spring setup in the rear, it got a set of coilovers up front along with larger anti-roll bars on both front and back of the truck to help improve handling beyond the generic pickup truck expectations. Related: Auction Dilemma: Dodge Ram SRT-10 Vs Ford Lightning SVTįord helped the Lightning look more menacing by jacking up the rear end two inches, while lowering the front by a full inch to give the truck that all-important race-ready stance, while also offering an optional tonneau cover to keep the bed closed up. Massive Goodyear Eagle F1 295/45ZR-18 rubber waiting for incineration by any driver with a heavy foot, all the while serenaded by a throaty side-exit exhaust that rivaled the sound of even the mighty SVT Mustang Cobra R. That rear end was later shortened to 3.73 ('01-'04 models) to help increase low-end grunt. That power was then funneled through a beefed up 4R100 four-speed column-shifted automatic transmission and on to a 3.55 rear axle. So, in 2001 the Lightning got a power boost up to 380-horsepower and 450 pound-feet of torque. As with most gearheads, professional tuners like SVT included, they are never happy with the same amount of power for very long. That big motor also came replete with forged internals and a liquid-to-air intercooler to help keep the Eaton supercharger from overheating as it made a monstrous 360-horsepower at 4,750 rpm, and an even more impressive 440 pound-feet of torque at a very low 3,250 rpm. The Lightning began life with a massive iron block and aluminum heads 5.4-liter single-overhead cam V8. ![]() Related: 15 Reasons They Should Bring Back The Ford F-150 SVT Lightning, Prontoįortunately, SVT knew how to turn any car (or truck) from Dr. But looking fast can only get you so far when it comes to developing a rep and enough street cred to help create an entirely new niche in the automotive community. Clear headlamps, Euro-sytle taillights, unique ground effects as well as trim-specific bumper with built-in fog lights. ![]() Hitting the streets in 1999, the SVT F-150 Lightning certainly looked the part of the speedster.
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