Retrospective: The SVT Lightning

"MikeFetters" (mikefetters)
09/03/2015 at 14:26 • Filed to: SVT, SVT Lightning, Retrospective, Fast Trucks, Trucks

Retrospective is a series that takes a look at interesting vehicles that aren’t frequently written about. They may not be classics, but they definitely are worth a look.

(Image from Ford’s SVT site)

Special Vehicle Team (SVT), Ford’s in-house performance division, has produced some of the most incredible vehicles of the last decade. They have gifted the world the GT and Shelby GT500, as well as a host of other hotted up Fords. They even decided to go batshit on the Ford Contour, seriously. Peak batshit came in 2010 with the Raptor, an earth-devouring monster that set a new standard for factory-made off-road performance. Perhaps the amazing thing about the Raptor is that the folks at SVT had the cajones to create such a high-performance pickup. But maybe, just maybe, we could have seen this coming. After all, it’s not SVT’s first foray into the world of insane trucks. That honor goes to the SVT Lightning.

Yes, the Lightning, is a distinctly different vehicle than the Raptor, but I would wager that it planted the seed for their current bonkers truck.

The lightning was first introduced in 1993, featuring a 351 cubic inch V8 that produced 240 horsepower and 340 pound feet of torque. It scampered to 60 in 7.2 seconds, according to Motor Trend, a figure that still registers as quick today. Ford claims that this generation of Lightning was designed to be about more than just straight line speed. Right. The idea that a fast pickup truck in the 1990’s, made by Ford, could corner sounds about as credible as healthy options at a fast-food chain. Nonetheless, it was capable. It looks pretty badass too.

(Image from Ford’s SVT site)

This version of the truck only ran from 1993 to 1995, with fewer than 10,000 produced. Ford positioned the vehicle as the truck version of the Mustang - and it joined the Mustang as one of the official vehicles of the 1994 Indianapolis 500. This lightning was understated, but fast as hell for the day, and must have been a hoot to own.

Then SVT’s engineers must have decided to stop the drugs they were doing, because they stopped building the performance truck for about 5 years. When it reemerged in 1999, it was even more insane. It’s return brought a supercharged Triton V8 that made 360 horsepower and 440 pound feet of torque. While today, a supercharged V8 making 360 horsepower isn’t exactly earth-shattering, at the time it was a bonafide shit-load. It actually produced more power than the SVT Mustang Cobra of the day! However, because trucks aren’t exactly light or aerodynamic, it only ran to 60 miles per hour in 6.2 seconds. Ford didn’t try to pretend that this run of the truck was meant for cornering, because let’s be honest, even they knew it was meant for one thing, and one thing only. Burnouts. (Seriously, if you go to the SVT website, half the photos are of the lightning munching tires).

(Image from Ford’s SVT site)

This version of Lightning got a power bump in 2001, gaining 20 horsepower and 10 pound feet of torque. The extra power dropped it’s 0-60 time by four tenths of a second, to 5.8. That number is fast, even for today. It also ran quarter miles in the 13’s. Ford produced the Lightning until 2004, when it bit the dust for good.

For some reason the Lightning never gained the notoriety that the GMC Syclone did, and that’s a shame. The Lightning was a very cool, albeit very silly, experiment for SVT. And we should be grateful for its existence, because without it, who knows if we would have ever seen the Raptor and the stupidity that it incites.

DISCUSSION (17)

spanfucker retire bitch > MikeFetters
09/03/2015 at 14:30

And thanks to the new Raptor having a trick 4WD system that can be used on the road just as well as off-road, all it takes is a lowering kit and some street tires and you can have your own Lightning.

DoYouEvenShift > MikeFetters
09/03/2015 at 14:33

The Supercharged Lightning is one of my favorite Ford vehicles.

Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero > MikeFetters
09/03/2015 at 14:35

I love me some lightning. Just wish prices weren’t so high for non abused models

Jcarr > MikeFetters
09/03/2015 at 14:36

There was an early 2000s Lightning for sale near me for a while. It was tempting, but it was at one of those corner used car lots so I have to assume that it wasn’t in the best of shape.

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > MikeFetters
09/03/2015 at 14:38

Sorry, but I can’t pass a post about the Lightning without rubbing in how the Syclone was more than a second faster 10 years earlier.

Dat supercharger screech though.

TheBloody, Oppositelock lives on in our shitposts. > MikeFetters
09/03/2015 at 14:39

Ah man I remember back in college potbellyjoe had a Lighting with the Windsor V8, the one night we had some toolbag in his riced out civic try race between lights, he even called the Lightning a “farmers truck”. Smoked him off the line so at the next light he wanted to do a rolling start, still smoked him lol.

He even did the flyby flashing his hazzards afterwards with is little fart can sputtering everywhere. To be young again...

Master Cylinder > MikeFetters
09/03/2015 at 14:45

I remember seeing one of these at an autocross in the mid ‘00s. It was pretty hilarious but actually surprisingly quick for its size and heft. It certainly wasn’t the slowest vehicle around the cones.

I’ve never quite understood why Ford quit using the SVT badge, though. Isn’t that basically the slot the ST models fill now?

SVTyler > Master Cylinder
09/03/2015 at 14:53

Basically, Ford consolidated the SVT, European RS, and Australian Ford Performance Vehicle teams into one global division which is why all performance Fords use the ST/RS monikers instead of the old SVT/ST/RS/FPR labels.

MikeFetters > TheBloody, Oppositelock lives on in our shitposts.
09/03/2015 at 14:56

Ha! That probably never got old.

MikeFetters > Jcarr
09/03/2015 at 14:57

Yeah, I assume that nobody bought this with the thought of driving leisurely. These were hooned!

OPPOsaurus WRX > MikeFetters
09/03/2015 at 15:02

I’m sure you’ve heard about the snow we got around the Boston area this winter. After one of the larger storms, i’m out shoveling the driveway and I hear that glorious V8 as one of the newer Lightning goes rolling by. That must be one of the worst handling vehicles int he snow.

JR1 > MikeFetters
09/03/2015 at 15:05

I would love to DD a Lightening and I might have to own one for my pickup needs one day. Only downside is the horrible gas mileage.

Raymundo > MikeFetters
09/03/2015 at 15:16

Part of the reason I still to this day love this truck is because of the nostalgia that goes with this truck for me. You’re absolutely right, today a 360 hp supercharged V8 is just another thing, but you had to have actually have been in those shoes from yesteryear (not that long ago, I know) when this truck hit the streets. It was a riot! It might not be the best truck on the road, but god damn it it’s a mother fuckin’ Lightning.

Could somebody photoshop a proper looking SVT Lightning brochure/ad that says “God damn it it’s a mother fuckin’ Lightning”?

jjhats > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer
09/03/2015 at 15:31

the syclone to this day blows my mind. it is so fast and such a weird project for GM I cant believe its a real thing. they really set the bar for performance trucks way back when, even thoug ive always had a soft spot for the ram srt10 because manual

Van Man, rocks the Man Van > MikeFetters
09/03/2015 at 16:07

My uncle has a second gen Lightning. Awesome truck. At full throttle, the supercharger whine is crazy, and there are still black skid marks outside my house as a result of one of his burnouts.

ZoopZoopLoops > MikeFetters
09/03/2015 at 16:11

“For some reason the Lightning never gained the notoriety that the GMC Syclone did”

Not even F&F could save it. I suppose the same thing could be said for my 4th gen Maxima though. Luckily Tavarish is backing me up there.

Kinja'd!!!

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > jjhats
09/03/2015 at 16:14

We need more quirky limited run GM stuff. They do those well.