Yea, I was pretty shocked also. He e-mailed me last night spewing the old Ford line about late 2005 as a 2006 model and Ford GT engine........... blah, blah.

I e-mailed him 3 times today, already.

Frankly, I think some are suffering from denial. They are hoping the Autoweek article wasn't true, and are sitting back and watching. Frankly, until the Autoweek article, I was one of them. Even after reading the article and sending the fax, I hoped it was incorrect, and that Ford would correct Autoweek. The call from SVT this morning pretty much solidified it for me. You could tell that he was very unhappy about the decision also.

 

Remember, they tried to kill the Mustang but was revived due to owner outcry.



I'm not sure who you emailed but none of the SVTOA top staff work at a Ford dealership. Maybe a regional rep but no one at the top level of the organization.

ZEM'S04 L, keep in mind that SVTOA does not make manufacturing decisions, it is an organization the exists by the grace of FOMOCO. I can assure you that there will be a strong backlash from membership if this decision stands.

According to the L owner quoted in the Autoweek article (F150SVT on this board) he asked the author what role Tom Scarpello and John Coletti had in the decision. He was told that they were very upset about it. Nothing happens in SVT without the input from these two and they are very passoinate about what they do. I have to believe they did what they could but the beancounters won. It will be interesting to see how this decision came about, if it ever comes out.

 

when it comes time for a new truck....if it's not a lightning, it won't be a Ford--I can guarandamntee you that.

THANKS FORD!!!!! LOVE YOU GUYS!!!

I think they need to lay off the ... at least the hard chit

-Mike

P.S. I was looking for a truck to replace my camaro when it came time to sell it. I didn't even consider a ford vehicle, but there was a red L on display at a dealership next to my house and I thought I'd stop in and check it out....ALONG WITH OTHER FORD PRODUCTS. I ended up taking home the L, but while I was there my dad looked into getting a T-bird and my friend that rode along with me looked into getting a Harley truck.
these trucks sell themselves....AND.....they sell other ford products.

heck...I didn't even MAKE it to a GM dealership because they had no eye candy to pull me in. learn, Ford...LEARN

 

Ok, it was just the impression I got. I stand corrected.

I did get the impression, from Matt (the SVT rep who called me) that he, and everyone at SVT was very upset about this. I asked him point blank if it was an SVT decision, or a Ford decision............ and he told me straight out it was Ford.

A question............ can we get the forum administrator, or a moderator, to make a sticky of this post........... as it is VERY important???

 

When i get out of school ill fax them a letter from me. Im proud to say that of the 6 white fords my family owns my Lightning is by FAR the best and is like no other truck out there.I spend almost every dollar i make from racing on mods for my truck because i like it so much. I was and still look forward to adding a 2006 lightning to my stable.

 

For those who do not have access to a fax, here is a site where you can fax from an e-mail. This was posted on NLOC, so it must work.

http://www.tpc.int/faxbyemail.html

Also, talk to your non Ford enthusiast friends also. Everyone in the enthusiast community has a stake in this. If Ford thinks that not enough people care about the Lightning and drop it, other manufacturers may follow suit. Then we will all be stuck with performance vehicles like the Monte Carlo SS, and the Impala SS. Yuck.

 

Fax has been sent......

 

It's funny that you actually think your SVToA rep knows what he's talking about.

 

After reading this thread at around 11a i too faxed a letter to the number given for SVT. Right after returning from lunch i received a call from a guy at SVT. I talked to him for about 30-45 minutes and was really impressed that he would take the time to call me. I stated in my fax that i had recently traded my 02 L for a 04 f-150 and was going to wait and see what the new L was. I also told them that being a life-long ford owner I was sad to hear that there would be no new truck. They are putting together a folder to use as proof that they do not think cancelling the L was a good idea. At least someone is listening.

 

Well, either you are confused, or I am............

Matt is the Rep who called me from SVT (not svtoa) after I faxed SVT about the cancellation of the Lightning. I provided my phone number on my fax, and we talked for about 15-20 minutes about what happened with the Lightning, and what it means for Ford in general.

The only exposure I have had to the gentleman from SVTOA is the gentleman who e-mailed me back, after I e-mailed him. He is the one who didn't know that the Lightning had been cancelled.

If I misunderstood you, I apologize.

 

Faxed Matt at SVT five minitues later I got a call from him now that is customer service. Matt told me he had a stack of faxes from the Lightning guys and they will be read and passed on to the higher ups.He also said the faxes are the best thing we could be doing so they had a hard copy to so the BIG guys.As of right now the Lightning is on hold and not projected to come out until 2008 reason being is the engineering money required to buld the Cobra and Lightning was just too much so they are working on the Cobra and MAY start on the Lightning when they get done with it.
jeff

 

I will write up a letter and fax it to them in the morning. I am not sure what I want to say yet, but I will let them know I am not happy. If they do infact cancel the Lightning I will sell my SVT Focus and get a GTO.

I have bought 7 Fords since 1990 and if they don't make a new Lightning I may not buy anymore.

 

Alright I want to get this straight. I read the autoweek article yesterday but he kinda double speaks at the first. The L is posponed until 2008 or is it cancelled completely?
I was hoping to get me one when they came out. It was going to be my first pickup and first new vehicle.

 

That's why I posted over HERE

 

This won't be popular, but remember that there are roughly how many Mustang owners for every Lightning owner... 100? 1,000?

Ford clearly sees the Mustand as a franchise vehicle, perhaps their oldest continually running nameplate other than "Econoline" which is not an exciting brand.

The Lightning? I'm betting 75% of F150 owners never heard of it.