The Ford F-150 Lightning is truly a vehicle of many hats. Combining the performance figures of a Mustang GT with the practicality and towing capability of a regular F-150, the truck would become one of the best-known factory packages in the F-150 lineup. With the new all-electric Lightning unveiled in May of 2021, almost 30 years after the first model made its debut, it’s clear that fast, practical trucks are here to stay. But where did the Lightning nameplate come from in the first place, and why this platform in particular as opposed to a sports car? Let’s rewind history and find out.
The End of an Era
If there’s one thing that can be counted among enthusiasts, no matter what they drive, it’s a love of a pure, spirited driving experience. In the days before the oil crisis, this was relatively easy to come by. The muscle car era provided enthusiasts of all walks of life with fast, affordable, fun-to-drive vehicles. The gradual shift from fullsize luxury sedans to sleek sports cars introduced people of all races, genders, religions, and nationalities to the world of speed.
However, this chapter suddenly and violently slammed into a wall at the tail-end of 1973, when Saudi Arabia proclaimed an oil embargo. The cars shrank, favoring economy and cheapness over a Hotwheels-esque pursuit of that passion we enthusiasts all share. But that passion only grew in the coming decade. People had a taste of speed, and they wanted it back. They saw potential in smaller, and more importantly lighter vehicles.
By the time the gas prices returned to normal, factories picked up on this trend and immediately got to work. In the case of Ford, an entire division would be born from this mentality. Known as the Special Vehicle Operations Department, or “SVO” for short, their sole purpose was the creation of factory-backed speed. Exactly one vehicle was produced in the US with the SVO name, the 1984-86 Foxbody Mustang SVO.
Birth of the Factory Street Truck
Throughout the late ’80s, these factory performance vehicles cropped back into lineups all across the Big Three. Most trucks, however, were still full size. Their primary goal was work, not play. But in 1990, there was a sudden, dramatic gear shift when Chevy released the 454SS. They did what rodders have been doing with street trucks throughout the early and mid-’80s. They took a big engine and shoved it into a little truck, put it on trick suspension, gave it a locking diff, and called it a day. The simple yet timeless formula proved to both Ford and Dodge that, yes, even truck enthusiasts have the speed bug. And a lot of them were mechanically inclined, upgrading their smaller trucks to handle and accelerate like muscle cars. The market was there. Chevy just had the foresight to exploit it, but Ford would not be left behind.
SVO became SVT, or Special Vehicles Team, in 1993, and the very first models they debuted were the Mustang SVT, and the first iteration of the Lightning truck. The 1993 F-150 SVT Lightning followed the success of the 454SS, and was an instant hit. The original models were equipped with a 240-horsepower 351 Windsor. The engine came with factory GT40 high-flow rate intake and heads, shorty headers, and an E4OD 4-speed automatic transmission. The suspension was tuned with valuable input from former F1 driver Jackie Stewart. Ultimately, the truck was lighter, more nimble, and had more usable power than its GM counterpart. Although built as a reaction to GM’s success, the Lightning was showered with positive reviews. It was designed a competitor to GM’s initiative, not as a trendsetter. Still, no one ever accused the Mustang of being a bad vehicle because it was built after the GTO debuted.
Ford-SVT-Lightning
The Importance of Good Follow-Through
Ford was not content to let it rest, however. The original Lightning got by with a mere 240 horsepower in a RWD-platform midsize truck. But with 1995 came a brand-new chassis and body, the 10th-generation F-series. And SVT was all over that. This was going to be the ultimate factory street truck, they decided, combining the performance of their SVT Cobra with the practicality of the new F-150 platform. This time, they didn’t react to GM. They made the street truck trend’s apex.
To this end, they further developed the 5.4L Triton V8, equipping it with an intercooled Eaton Gen IV supercharger and performance cooling system. The tuned powerplant produced 360 horsepower right out of the gate, transferred through a modified 4R100 4-speed automatic. This new F-150 did leave the factory with a monochrome but otherwise relatively unassuming exterior, however. A sleek, aggressive body complemented the performance package, a bespoke body kit and suspension setup. And by 1999, the truck hit the dealership.
The Most Popular Factory Street Truck is Born
The concept behind the SVT cars in general was a vehicle with good performance across the board, but not excelling in any one area. In the 2nd-gen Lightning’s case, it certainly fit that bill. It was fast, but not unusably so, with a taller 3.55 final drive to help mitigate the power figures. The handling was on par with a Mustang, which is quite impressive for a truck. Add to that a 380-horsepower and 3.73 final drive revision for 2001 onwards, it hit 60 in 5.8 seconds. The second-gen Lightning certainly made an impression, and its appearance in popular media and video games as well as its distinctive styling cemented it as the definitive street truck of the 2000s. Production ended in 2004, with the 28,124th truck leaving Ontario’s factory – just in time for Chevy to release an SS package. This time, they were the ones playing catch-up.
The Future of SVT Trucks, and Rebirth of the Lightning Badge
In the coming years, SVT shifted gears dramatically with the introduction of the Raptor. Built as a street analogue of a trophy truck, it was a notably different take on the performance truck concept. However, this by no means marked the death of the Lightning name.
The original Lightning concept was a twofold philosophy. First, capitalize on the trend of the performance truck, ultimately creating the trend’s zenith. Second, to build a truck with solid all-around performance figures, not just a go-fast engine with basic suspension and brakes. Both trucks accomplished these well enough to leave lasting impacts in popular culture, despite the rise of the Raptor.
So when a new opportunity presented itself, the Lightning returned in May of 2021.
As opposed to developing a reaction to a current trend, this new Lightning precedes a coming trend. Most manufacturers still consider electric trucks as relatively untreated ground. But whether you love them or hate them, there’s no denying the potential they have. The torque figures of electric motors theoretically suit trucks perfectly. And the new Lightning variant certainly won’t be slow, either, with 426 horsepower quoted for the standard motor. This marks the true core of the Lightning philosophy – rather than being just about a performance truck, it’s more so an evolution with regards to trends.
There’s something to be said about taking the initiative. And Ford’s certainly had a history of industry firsts. The 3rd-generation Lightning at first seems unrelated apart from the name from earlier models. But they follow identical philosophies, as stated previously. And this time, it’s Ford’s turn to strike first (against Dodge and Chevy). The Lightning’s spirit endures, even without the intervention of Ford’s SVT branch.
The new decade is poised to be a very interesting one indeed for Ford Trucks, and the Lightning especially.
Source: Ford Truck Enthusiasts
Photos: Ford Motor Company, General Motors
