I posted this also in the Lightning Concept forum...

This is getting a little confusing concerning wheather there will be an 04 gen II Lightning or not.....

Today stopped at the local ford dealer here in Athens...a mgr called the factory...factory stated that there will be a normal production for all svt vehicles for 04...whick means there will be
a standard 04 gen II Lightning. The local dealer has 2-2003
Lightnings in stock and wont be allocated anymore.

Today called svt...talked to Matt (very nice helpful guy)...Matt confirmed the same thing...normal production for all svt vehicles for 04 is scheduled.

Is there some other info I dont know about???

 

well that sure seems weird

 

Well besides Lightnings, there is the Cobra ( Flag Ship ) and the Focus... So, i can see production of of those vehicles but not the Gen II L since the body style is being replaced.

 

SpankDog & Flying ****:

For certain there wil be or not be a GenII 04 Lightning.
Possible the new body style will be implemented on the
Gen II chassis (make sense?) therefore an 04 GenII Lightning.
Or it's possible that because of marketing craziness that
the real truth is simply not available to us yet...anybody know
anyone at SVT Lightning management???

This uncertainty affects the buying habits of L people...
if there is to be no 04 probably many of us would go buy
the last of the 03's...or if there is to be an 04 many of us would
hold off to see and buy the genIII in 04 or 05.

 

There could conceivably be a an '04 Gen II. Oakville Truck will be continuing to to build the current F-150 body style for a period of time, while new F-150 production ramps up at Norfolk and the new plant in Dearborn.

Ford continued to build the previous generation F-150 for a model year or so, after the '97's were introduced.

I guess we'll know in the fall!

 

redlightspecial:

Thanks for the info.

 

I read where Ford said they will continue to offer the F150 along side the new 2004... something about F150 Clasic... Kind of like what Coke did many years ago... affraid to lose that important market share... Coke kept both around to give people a choice.

The F150 cannot afford a screw-up...

 

rickgig:

True.

Ford indeed has to make this new F-150 work...it's their
bread and butter...besides pickups have a high profit margin and
offsets poor sales in their other lines.

BTW...I prefer Coke Classic.

 

Since the current models are all done in Ontario Plant - which is closed or closing would it make sense to tool up a new plant for one year ?

Interesting either way...

Doug

 

Nope ... according to the little bird, there WILL be an '04
Lightning. I posted that tidbit EONS ago ... But nobody believed
me ... Oh Well, time will tell

 

SVT_KY:

You must have a smart little bird there...perhaps a NSA bird...
Curious though will this 04 be in the new 04 body style OR
the "classic" current body style...thanks for the clarification.

 

I guess we will find out soon enough. Its already May so the 04s are not far behind.

Would be nice to see a one year break in the cycle but I can understand SVT wanting to sell 5000 more vehicles.

Doesn't matter to me either way. I will wait till 05 or 06 anyway. Let them work the bugs out and add additional H.P. like they always do a few years in.


VINNIE

 

VINNIE:

The same manager that called the factory today also told me that the 04 L's wont be in production until late this year (nov/dec)
...so if this is true wont see any 04 L's till first quarter of 2004...
The 3rd gen L's probably will cost more than I want to pay so
2003 or 2004 may be my last Bolt...if even I do that.

 

04 L, same body style, Gen II carryover. Probably have a new color to choose from.