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Autoweek L article
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Autoweek Aug. 14, 2001
White-Hot: SVT's Ford Lightning bolts with more power
LIKES
Gobs of power
Sports car handling
Truck utility
DISLIKES
Too much hard plastic
Wimpy stereo
Large blindspots
HOW DO YOU IMPROVE THE HOTTEST sport truck on the market? Give it more power, of course.
Not that the Ford Special Vehicle Team's F-150 Lightning needed any more. Last year it pumped out 360 hp and 440 lb-ft of torque from its supercharged 5.4-liter V8. Ford claimed then that those numbers were good for a 6.2-second 0-to-60-mph dash and a 14.6-second quarter-mile at 97 mph. Apparently, blindingly fast wasn't good enough (blindingly for a 4670-pound truck, that is). By enlarging the air inlet path of the engine, SVT upped those figures for 2001, to 380 horsepower at 4750 rpm and 450 lb-ft at 3250 rpm. According to SVT, the Lightning should now be good for a 5.8-second 0-to-60-mph and 13.9-second quarter. But after several attempts during AutoFile testing, we couldn't crack either the six- or 14-second mark.
ROAD TEST DATA
STANDING-START ACCELERATION
0-30 mph: 2.30 sec
0-40 mph: 3.31 sec
0-50 mph: 4.56 sec
0-60 mph: 6.04 sec
0-100 km/h (62.1 mph): 6.41 sec
0-80 mph: 9.68 sec
0-quarter-mile: 97.9 mph, 14.51 sec
ROLLING ACCELERATION
20-40 mph (first gear): 2.0 sec
40-60 mph (second gear): 3.0 sec
60-80 mph (second and third gear): 4.1 sec
BRAKING
80 mph-0: 240 ft
60 mph-0: 136 ft
30 mph-0: 33 ft
FUEL MILEAGE
EPA combined: 14.8 mpg
AW overall: 13.05 mpg
HANDLING
490-foot slalom: 41.6 mph
Lateral acceleration
(200-foot skidpad): 0.84 g
INTERIOR NOISE (dBA)
Idle: 51
Full throttle: 83
Steady 60 mph: 67
BEST NUMBERS
0-60 mph: 5.2 sec (C and D)
SS-quarter-mile: 13.8 sec (C and D)
60 mph-0: 136 ft (AW)
Skidpad: 0.84 g (AW, R&T)
Several factors contributed to our slower times. The track surface didn't allow the Lightning's Good- year Eagle F1-GS P295/45ZR-18s to lay down a good patch of rubber. Instead it caused the tires to send up a shower of dust, clearly losing power in the process. Also the boost gauge never indicated more than 8 psi, though the supercharger should have produced up to 10 psi. The "greenness" of the engine may have contributed to the lower boost, as the odometer read only 853 miles when we received the truck. Finally, a high track temperature called for long cool-downs between runs, proving the truck was touchy about the heat. Regardless, 60 mph in 6.04 seconds isn't bad, and it certainly betters the old Lightning. In other areas the Lightning performed without a hitch.
It handled particularly well on track, its tires providing a good deal of stick and its new monotube Bilstein shocks keeping it well-planted in corners. The rear end reacted predictably, helped in large part by the Lightning's limited-slip differential. On the freeway, however, the Lightning's ride gets a bit choppy.
Its four-wheel discs stop the truck from 60 mph in just 136 feet. But the ABS engages somewhat jerkily, with a small amount of front-end wander. We have to admit: Except for its higher seating position, Lightning feels much like a sports car.
Owners agree. For most the 2001 Lightning was the second or third SVT vehicle they've owned, and for many the 2001 was the second or third Lightning. Some cross-shopped Camaro SS, SVT Mustang Cobra, Corvette or another pickup, but most said they didn't consider any other vehicle, as nothing really competes with the Lightning.
Every owner raved about the power. Most owners also liked having such a hot vehicle still capable of towing 5000 pounds. Some disliked the amount of hard plastic used inside, however, and most found the stereo too weak. Overall, however, owners loved the Lightning.
As one wrote, "This is, plain and simple, a hot rod. Don't tell my wife, though."
SPECIFICATIONS
CHASSIS
Body-on-frame two-door pickup
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase (in): 119.8
Length/width (in): 208/79.1
Curb weight (lbs): 4670
SUSPENSION
Front: Independent, coil springs, shocks, antiroll bar
Rear: Live axle, coil springs, shocks, antiroll bar
BRAKES
F/R: Vented discs/vented discs, ABS
WHEELS AND TIRES
Alloy P295/45ZR-18
Goodyear Eagle F1-GS
CAPACITIES
Fuel (gal): 25
Cargo (cu ft): 52.3 (cargo bed)
Engine
Front-longitudinal, supercharged intercooled
5.4-liter/330-cid V8
Horsepower: 380 @ 4750 rpm
Torque (lb-ft): 450 @ 3250 rpm
Compression ratio: 8.4:1
Valvetrain: sohc
Fuel delivery: Sequential electronic fuel injection
Fuel requirement: 92 octane
DRIVETRAIN
Rear-wheel drive
Transmission: Four-speed automatic
Final drive ratio: 3.73:1
VIEWS AND REVIEWS
OWNERS
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I'M VERY IMPRESSED WITH THE BUILD quality and the overall SVT experience. In fact, I had a question relating to engine break-in, so I call-ed the SVT 800 number. I thought I'd be calling some sterile customer service center, but instead I get a guy (Andy) right in the SVT shop, complete with the sound of air tools in the background. Cool! -DOUG WARNEKE, Chatsworth, Calif.
STOPLIGHTS AND WINDING ROADS HAVE never been more fun for me! The acceleration and handling are way beyond what most people would reasonably expect from a sports car, let alone a truck. I have managed to put 6500 miles on this monster in just two months, with three highway trips greater than 700 miles included in this total. So far my best mpg average has been a little short of the 16-mpg highway rating at 12.8 mpg.
If it were possible to rate "smiles per gallon" those expectations would undoubtedly be met. I will say that I am somewhat mystified that SVT doesn't offer this truck with an in-dash CD player to go with the factory six-disc changer. -KEVIN BELLAMEY, Indianapolis
COULDN'T CONVINCE MY WIFE THAT A Corvette was practical since we're getting older, but the Lightning fit both her needs for easy entry and high driving position and mine for a fast, good-handling vehicle. Dislikes: Driver's seat is uncomfortable with lack of seat cushion. I don't know if this is typical or just a poor seat in my vehicle. I am planning to go to the dealership over this. -GERARD BONNAR, Corona, Calif.
U.S. MEDIA
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FOR ITS SUSPENSION THE LIGHTNING ADDS brand-new Bilstein monotube shocks with better dampening than the tubular, gas-charged shocks found in last year's truck. The rest of the suspension and chassis remains unchanged. Compared to the 2000 model truck on hand during the drive, you feel much more secure in tight corners and during hard driving. The Lightning hugs the road like Lycra on a Sports Illustrated swimsuit model. When combined with the limited-slip differential in the rear and specially formulated Goodyear Eagle tires, the Lightning exhibits the best handling found in a pickup truck not sporting all-wheel drive. Any of the understeer you normally expect to find in a pickup during aggressive cornering was quickly overcome using the accelerator. -Pickuptruck.com
FOREIGN MEDIA
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE SVT IS NOT, HOWEVER, IN THE BUSINESS of developing exclusive, high-end specialty rods for the rich and famous. Rather, they inject high-performance life into certain mainstream Ford products-products you and I might afford.
The whole package, of course, starts life as an F-Series regular-cab, short-wheelbase truck. The everyday F-150 may share roots with the Lightning, but to compare its performance abilities to the Lightning is like matching me in a foot race with Donavan Bailey. Give me an 80-meter start in a 100-meter dash and I might have a chance. Same story for the pickups. -The Ottawa Citizen (Canada)
FACTS
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(MANUFACTURER'S DATA)
Ford Special Vehicle Team
P.O. Box 490
Dearborn MI 48121
Customer assistance: (800) 367-3788
Internet address: www.svt.ford.com
Country of origin: United States
Number of dealers: 600 SVT dealers, 4050 Ford dealers
PRICING
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Base: $31,745
As tested: $32,610
IntelliChoice target price: $32,239
Rebates: None
Destination charge: $715
What owners paid; average: $31,500 to $34,500; $32,461
Options as tested: Tonneau cover ($150)
Other major options: None
Related stories from the AutoWeek Archives
> 1999 Ford SVT Lightning (10:34 March 29, 1999)
Lightning strikes again
> Ponies as promised (13:18 Feb. 05, 2001)
Ford SVT rolls out two familiar faces and one hot new hatch-all with power to make us forget about 1999
> Ford SVT Lightning, Honda Civic HX, Nissan Maxima SE Anniversary Edition (12:33 July 03, 2001)
White-Hot: SVT's Ford Lightning bolts with more power
LIKES
Gobs of power
Sports car handling
Truck utility
DISLIKES
Too much hard plastic
Wimpy stereo
Large blindspots
HOW DO YOU IMPROVE THE HOTTEST sport truck on the market? Give it more power, of course.
Not that the Ford Special Vehicle Team's F-150 Lightning needed any more. Last year it pumped out 360 hp and 440 lb-ft of torque from its supercharged 5.4-liter V8. Ford claimed then that those numbers were good for a 6.2-second 0-to-60-mph dash and a 14.6-second quarter-mile at 97 mph. Apparently, blindingly fast wasn't good enough (blindingly for a 4670-pound truck, that is). By enlarging the air inlet path of the engine, SVT upped those figures for 2001, to 380 horsepower at 4750 rpm and 450 lb-ft at 3250 rpm. According to SVT, the Lightning should now be good for a 5.8-second 0-to-60-mph and 13.9-second quarter. But after several attempts during AutoFile testing, we couldn't crack either the six- or 14-second mark.
ROAD TEST DATA
STANDING-START ACCELERATION
0-30 mph: 2.30 sec
0-40 mph: 3.31 sec
0-50 mph: 4.56 sec
0-60 mph: 6.04 sec
0-100 km/h (62.1 mph): 6.41 sec
0-80 mph: 9.68 sec
0-quarter-mile: 97.9 mph, 14.51 sec
ROLLING ACCELERATION
20-40 mph (first gear): 2.0 sec
40-60 mph (second gear): 3.0 sec
60-80 mph (second and third gear): 4.1 sec
BRAKING
80 mph-0: 240 ft
60 mph-0: 136 ft
30 mph-0: 33 ft
FUEL MILEAGE
EPA combined: 14.8 mpg
AW overall: 13.05 mpg
HANDLING
490-foot slalom: 41.6 mph
Lateral acceleration
(200-foot skidpad): 0.84 g
INTERIOR NOISE (dBA)
Idle: 51
Full throttle: 83
Steady 60 mph: 67
BEST NUMBERS
0-60 mph: 5.2 sec (C and D)
SS-quarter-mile: 13.8 sec (C and D)
60 mph-0: 136 ft (AW)
Skidpad: 0.84 g (AW, R&T)
Several factors contributed to our slower times. The track surface didn't allow the Lightning's Good- year Eagle F1-GS P295/45ZR-18s to lay down a good patch of rubber. Instead it caused the tires to send up a shower of dust, clearly losing power in the process. Also the boost gauge never indicated more than 8 psi, though the supercharger should have produced up to 10 psi. The "greenness" of the engine may have contributed to the lower boost, as the odometer read only 853 miles when we received the truck. Finally, a high track temperature called for long cool-downs between runs, proving the truck was touchy about the heat. Regardless, 60 mph in 6.04 seconds isn't bad, and it certainly betters the old Lightning. In other areas the Lightning performed without a hitch.
It handled particularly well on track, its tires providing a good deal of stick and its new monotube Bilstein shocks keeping it well-planted in corners. The rear end reacted predictably, helped in large part by the Lightning's limited-slip differential. On the freeway, however, the Lightning's ride gets a bit choppy.
Its four-wheel discs stop the truck from 60 mph in just 136 feet. But the ABS engages somewhat jerkily, with a small amount of front-end wander. We have to admit: Except for its higher seating position, Lightning feels much like a sports car.
Owners agree. For most the 2001 Lightning was the second or third SVT vehicle they've owned, and for many the 2001 was the second or third Lightning. Some cross-shopped Camaro SS, SVT Mustang Cobra, Corvette or another pickup, but most said they didn't consider any other vehicle, as nothing really competes with the Lightning.
Every owner raved about the power. Most owners also liked having such a hot vehicle still capable of towing 5000 pounds. Some disliked the amount of hard plastic used inside, however, and most found the stereo too weak. Overall, however, owners loved the Lightning.
As one wrote, "This is, plain and simple, a hot rod. Don't tell my wife, though."
SPECIFICATIONS
CHASSIS
Body-on-frame two-door pickup
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase (in): 119.8
Length/width (in): 208/79.1
Curb weight (lbs): 4670
SUSPENSION
Front: Independent, coil springs, shocks, antiroll bar
Rear: Live axle, coil springs, shocks, antiroll bar
BRAKES
F/R: Vented discs/vented discs, ABS
WHEELS AND TIRES
Alloy P295/45ZR-18
Goodyear Eagle F1-GS
CAPACITIES
Fuel (gal): 25
Cargo (cu ft): 52.3 (cargo bed)
Engine
Front-longitudinal, supercharged intercooled
5.4-liter/330-cid V8
Horsepower: 380 @ 4750 rpm
Torque (lb-ft): 450 @ 3250 rpm
Compression ratio: 8.4:1
Valvetrain: sohc
Fuel delivery: Sequential electronic fuel injection
Fuel requirement: 92 octane
DRIVETRAIN
Rear-wheel drive
Transmission: Four-speed automatic
Final drive ratio: 3.73:1
VIEWS AND REVIEWS
OWNERS
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I'M VERY IMPRESSED WITH THE BUILD quality and the overall SVT experience. In fact, I had a question relating to engine break-in, so I call-ed the SVT 800 number. I thought I'd be calling some sterile customer service center, but instead I get a guy (Andy) right in the SVT shop, complete with the sound of air tools in the background. Cool! -DOUG WARNEKE, Chatsworth, Calif.
STOPLIGHTS AND WINDING ROADS HAVE never been more fun for me! The acceleration and handling are way beyond what most people would reasonably expect from a sports car, let alone a truck. I have managed to put 6500 miles on this monster in just two months, with three highway trips greater than 700 miles included in this total. So far my best mpg average has been a little short of the 16-mpg highway rating at 12.8 mpg.
If it were possible to rate "smiles per gallon" those expectations would undoubtedly be met. I will say that I am somewhat mystified that SVT doesn't offer this truck with an in-dash CD player to go with the factory six-disc changer. -KEVIN BELLAMEY, Indianapolis
COULDN'T CONVINCE MY WIFE THAT A Corvette was practical since we're getting older, but the Lightning fit both her needs for easy entry and high driving position and mine for a fast, good-handling vehicle. Dislikes: Driver's seat is uncomfortable with lack of seat cushion. I don't know if this is typical or just a poor seat in my vehicle. I am planning to go to the dealership over this. -GERARD BONNAR, Corona, Calif.
U.S. MEDIA
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FOR ITS SUSPENSION THE LIGHTNING ADDS brand-new Bilstein monotube shocks with better dampening than the tubular, gas-charged shocks found in last year's truck. The rest of the suspension and chassis remains unchanged. Compared to the 2000 model truck on hand during the drive, you feel much more secure in tight corners and during hard driving. The Lightning hugs the road like Lycra on a Sports Illustrated swimsuit model. When combined with the limited-slip differential in the rear and specially formulated Goodyear Eagle tires, the Lightning exhibits the best handling found in a pickup truck not sporting all-wheel drive. Any of the understeer you normally expect to find in a pickup during aggressive cornering was quickly overcome using the accelerator. -Pickuptruck.com
FOREIGN MEDIA
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE SVT IS NOT, HOWEVER, IN THE BUSINESS of developing exclusive, high-end specialty rods for the rich and famous. Rather, they inject high-performance life into certain mainstream Ford products-products you and I might afford.
The whole package, of course, starts life as an F-Series regular-cab, short-wheelbase truck. The everyday F-150 may share roots with the Lightning, but to compare its performance abilities to the Lightning is like matching me in a foot race with Donavan Bailey. Give me an 80-meter start in a 100-meter dash and I might have a chance. Same story for the pickups. -The Ottawa Citizen (Canada)
FACTS
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(MANUFACTURER'S DATA)
Ford Special Vehicle Team
P.O. Box 490
Dearborn MI 48121
Customer assistance: (800) 367-3788
Internet address: www.svt.ford.com
Country of origin: United States
Number of dealers: 600 SVT dealers, 4050 Ford dealers
PRICING
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Base: $31,745
As tested: $32,610
IntelliChoice target price: $32,239
Rebates: None
Destination charge: $715
What owners paid; average: $31,500 to $34,500; $32,461
Options as tested: Tonneau cover ($150)
Other major options: None
Related stories from the AutoWeek Archives
> 1999 Ford SVT Lightning (10:34 March 29, 1999)
Lightning strikes again
> Ponies as promised (13:18 Feb. 05, 2001)
Ford SVT rolls out two familiar faces and one hot new hatch-all with power to make us forget about 1999
> Ford SVT Lightning, Honda Civic HX, Nissan Maxima SE Anniversary Edition (12:33 July 03, 2001)