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Overview
Powertrain Specifications
Photos
2000 Ford SVT F-150 Lightning
The SVT F-150 Lightning returns for
another year to carry on its reign as the world's fastest pick-up truck.
The Lightning continues to scare the competition with its aggressive looks
and sports-car like performance and handling.
Early in development, SVT concluded that Lightning should be a standard
cab because of its good looks, lighter weight, and shorter wheelbase to
enhance handling. In short, to achieve the vehicle dynamics expected of a
SVT product, the standard cab, short-bed F-150 made the best choice. The
platform responded, and the Lightning achieved more than expected in the
areas of acceleration, steering, and especially in handling and braking.
The SVT Lightning is distinguished from standard F-150 models by a
range of specially designed exterior elements. The front fascia with round
driving lamps is an SVT design cue; the rocker sill extensions visually
link the front fascia and rear bumper; and on the right, the twin 3.0-inch
slash-cut ceramic-coated exhaust tips accent the rockers. What gives the
Lightning its kick though, is the addition of a supercharger to the 5.4L
Triton V-8.
POWERTRAIN
The 5.4L Triton V-8 was already an extremely
potent engine, but SVT engineers wanted to take it to the next level.
Since the Triton engine block featured a "deep skirt" design giving it
great rigidity, it was decided to boost performance with a supercharger.
SVT engineers added a forged steel crankshaft, sinter-forged alloy
connecting rods, and forged pistons, lowering the compression ratio to
8.4:1 for the addition of the supercharger. The supercharger is a
Roots-type Eaton Corporation Generation IV model that sits atop the intake
system. Located directly under the supercharger is a water-to-air
intercooler to cool the compressed air as it enters the intake.
Torque curve - click for larger
image
| The results of the supercharged 5.4L Triton
engine are spectacular, producing 360 horsepower and 440 ft.-lb. of
torque. To put all this power and torque to the ground, Lightning receives
the internal transmission components from the 4-speed automatic found in
the Power Stroke diesel engine application of the Super Duty F-Series.
This will accelerate Lightning to 60 mph in 5.4 seconds and through the
quarter mile in 14.6 seconds at 97 mph.
STEERING AND SUSPENSION
The SVT Lightning front suspension
consists of upper and lower A-arms, SVT coil springs, SVT gas-charged
shock absorbers, and a specially designed 31mm solid stabilizer bar.
Front-end ride height has been lowered by half an inch. Steering input is
handled with a standard F-150 power-assisted recirculating ball system.
Due in great part to the massive performance tires, SVT Lightning steering
now features a more responsive feel. Like a sports car, it communicates to
the driver useful information about adhesion and surface conditions.
The rear suspension is based on a 9.75-inch solid axle with a 3.55:1
limited-slip rear end. Its motions are controlled by SVT-tuned gas-charged
shock absorbers, an SVT five-leaf spring system that replaces the standard
F-150 three-leaf unit, and an SVT 23mm solid stabilizer bar. Rear ride
height has been lowered by 2.0 inches. The staggered right rear shock
limits axle tramp under aggressive acceleration from a standing start, or
when dipping deeply into the throttle coming out of a corner.
WHEELS AND TIRES
Big wheels and tires add to the aggressive
look of Lightning's exterior. The cast five-spoke aluminum-alloy wheels
measure 18 x 9.5 inches. These attractively dished and offset wheels are
wrapped with Goodyear™ Eagle F1-GS unidirectional tires that measure
295/45ZR18 in size.
This member of the Goodyear family was specially developed for the SVT
Lightning. The tire incorporates much of the same wet/dry high-performance
technology of the F1-GS that debuted on the 1998 SVT Contour sports sedan,
but with added sidewall strength for towing duties.
BRAKES
Lightning's four-wheel disc braking system is derived
from the much larger F-250 Super Duty truck. Compared to the rotors of the
standard F-150, SVT Lightning's vented front rotors are 4.0 mm thicker.
Their internal vanes rapidly and effectively dissipate the heat that
builds up under hard braking, allowing the SVT Lightning to readily handle
spirited drives on a Saturday morning as well as more pedestrian towing
duties. Up front, vented rotors measure 12.1 inches and are clamped with
twin-piston calipers. At the rear, solid rotors measure 13.1 inches. The
brakes are monitored by a four-wheel anti-lock brake system.
In Ford testing, the SVT Lightning stops from 60 mph in just 137 feet,
only 10 feet more than the distance for the 1999 SVT Mustang Cobra. In an
80-foot slalom, the SVT Lightning posts a speed of 63.6 mph, and on a
100-foot skidpad it hits 0.85g, a phenomenal figure for this type of
vehicle.
INTERIOR
Trimmed in a combination of textured Ebony leather
and Medium Graphite cloth, including Ebony leather door panel trim and a
leather-wrapped steering wheel rim, the interior of the SVT Lightning
provides the enthusiast driver with secure seating on twisting back roads
as well as luxury and comfort for everyday driving. The seat is an
enhanced 40/60 split bench, with six-way power adjustment for the driver's
seat. The two primary seats feature aggressive lateral bolstering on both
the seat bottom and seatback. A center jumpseat offers room for a third
passenger. Flip it down and there's a convenient central storage bin,
armrest, and cup holders.
Lightning's white-faced gauges are electro-luminescent with the
instruments turning a blue-green at night with brilliant orange needles.
The cluster includes a supercharger boost gauge.
Befitting well-equipped sports transportation, the SVT Lightning's
standard equipment roster includes a premium electronic AM/FM stereo with
in-dash CD player, dual electric remote control mirrors, power side
windows and door locks, an overhead console with compass and temperature
gauge, air-conditioning with manual control, cruise control, front floor
mats, and remote keyless illuminated entry.
Options on the SVT Lightning are limited to a factory-installed soft
tonneau cover, a Class III towing hitch, and a six-disc CD changer. The
changer fits neatly and conveniently in the cab behind the passenger
seatback.
To protect this valuable vehicle, SVT includes Ford's passive
anti-theft system called SecuriLock™. Each SVT Lightning key carries a
radio transponder with a unique code selected from a potential store of 72
million billion combinations. An antenna located in the steering column
interrogates the key for its code, then transmits it to a control module
where it is compared to the code stored there. If the codes match, the
engine's EEC-V computer system enables the engine to run. If the key codes
do not match or if no encoded key is detected, the EEC-V does not allow
the engine to run.
The 2000 SVT Lightning is available in four exterior colors: Bright Red
Clearcoat, Black Clearcoat, Oxford White Clearcoat, and new for 2000,
Silver Clearcoat.
The SVT Triton V-8 is produced at the Ford Truck Modular Engine Plant
in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, and the SVT Lightning is built at the Ford
Ontario Truck Plant, also in Canada.
Overview
Powertrain Specifications
Photos
Source: © Ford Motor
Company 1999 | 
