Ford F150 Lightning XLT

Ford F-150 Lightning XLTLightning struck the performance scene in 1993 when an intimidating, lowered, 5.8-liter/240-horsepower F-150 pickup rolled out of Ford's Special Vehicle Team (SVT) shop and onto the street. Hot on the heels of assembling the '93 Mustang Cobra, SVT applied the Cobra's parts-sharing approach to build 10,000 limited-edition trucks with the looks and performance to earn a bad-boy reputation.

Ford's speed gurus started with a basic F-150 (half-ton) shortbed pickup equipped with the XLT package. As they did with the Cobra, the engineers at SVT built their own version of a production engine: A 5.8-liter V-8 was improved with a pair of GT-40 aluminum cylinder heads, originally developed for competition. An aggressive cam profile was used to take advantage of the increased valve and port sizes. Airflow was optimized through a tuned aluminum intake manifold, larger-than-stock throttle body, tubular headers, and dual exhaust system. High-silicon aluminum pistons with lighter rings were fitted in the Windsor small-block to reduce internal friction. The engine computer was reprogrammed to take advantage of these modifications, providing crisp throttle response without affecting emissions.

Knowing that the truck would be driven hard by performance enthusiasts, SVT tweaked the E40D electronic four-speed automatic transmission to remain durable under the stress of the additional torque. The power is delivered down a 4.0-inch-diameter aluminum driveshaft to a limited-slip differential with low 4.10:1 gears. Under full throttle, upshifts come crisply at 5000 rpm. Due to its extra 49 cubic inches, the Lightning V-8 produces five horsepower and 55 pound-feet of torque more than the '93 SVT Cobra.

As soon as we heard that this special truck was in the pipeline, we were on the phone with Ford. Our first test pitted the Lightning against the Chevrolet 454 SS in our June '93 issue. The two muscle trucks proved to be closely matched, with identical 0-60-mph times and 60-0 braking distances (7.2 seconds and 143 feet). The Lightning managed to edge out the 454 SS in the quarter mile (15.6 seconds/87.4 mph versus 15.8/84.7), skidpad (0.84 g versus 0.78), and slalom (62.2 mph versus 60.7). Because of its better fuel economy and lower base price, we gave the nod to the Lightning.

A few months later, we welcomed a bright-red Lightning into our long-term test fleet. Building on a $19,023 base price for the 4x2 F-150 Styleside pickup, the Lightning package added an extra $2846. Order number 509A included the high-performance 5.8-liter engine, SVT-tuned suspension, limited-slip differential, bucket seats, center console, front air dam with foglamps, four-speaker AM/FM/cassette stereo, power windows and locks, air conditioning, electronic speed control, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel. We also ordered a sliding rear window, electric side mirrors, and a tubular rear bumper for an additional $432. Just in case, we included the towing package. The total came to $22,600, about $1800 more than the Mustang Cobra we tested in our June '93 issue, but the difference in sticker price would be nullified by the lower insurance premiums for the Lightning. And besides, we also like fast pickups.

As a member of our long-term fleet, the Lightning drew a loyal group of supporters. Even non-truck enthusiasts are drawn to the modern, monochrome appearance highlighted with black window and bumper trim. Lowered by 1.0 inch up front and 2.5 inches in the rear, the Lightning has an aggressive stance, bolstered by large 17x8.0-inch cast-aluminum wheels shod with 275/60HR17 Firestone Firehawk GTA tires. While these changes enhance the sinister look, their primary goal is to improve handling.