Says it's a business decision. Sad to see it go. I really respect the L being so powerful (the most powerful vehicle for Ford back in 99-02 - I don't think anything was as powerful as that 385HP back then)

http://www.autoweek.com/news.cms?newsId=101065

 

Wow, that is very strange. So now there will only be one SVT now, the Cobra. What happened to expanding the line? I thought SVT was "supposed" to be given large sums of money to do almost whatever they wanted. I wonder what the real reason is behind this?

 

I believe they will have the Focus, Cobra, Five Hundred, future Lightning (around 08) and the Ford GT/replacement on their hands.. not to mention the cars that will share platforms i.e. the AWD variant of the Mazda 6 sedan with a "276"hp motor etc.

 

I just faxed SVT (could find no e-mail address) about this.

Oh well, just think of all the money I will save not buying all of those new Ford vehicles I was planning on buying. (Powerstroke Superduty in a year, possibly Freestyle to replace my '03 Tribute, and a Vert (GT or Cobra)

If they abandon me, I abandon them.

What a crock of sh*t.

Luckily I really like all of the vehicles I currently have (all 7 of them).

Color me under protest.

 

Perhaps Ford doesn't see any wisdom in building a 500+ HP pickup truck (you know it would have to eclipse the SRT-10) and quite frankly I can't blame them.

Still, seems even the mighty FoMoCo isn't immune from putting the bottom line ahead of its enthusiasts.

 

a strange decision because it was a good seller, but I never did understand the lightning's existence (especially with the H-D F150, which they can sell for more $$$$)...honestly...why would SVT use up all the time, money resources, R&D, and marketing to put into a base pickup truck, when at the end of the day, it's about as quick as a moderately fast car?? I always thought that in 99 and 01, when the Lighting was faster, more powerful, and MUCH easier to mod than their flagship (Cobra) never made sense, either...the fact that it's a gas hog probably didn't help either...I'm forseeing a huge spike in gas prices in the near future, so maybe Ford sees the writing on the wall

 

Good to see it's not just the Camaro guys around here that whine and moan when they feel their automaker neglects them .

Perhaps the decision is partly because of the added heft of the new F-150s that would make meeting performance (and fuel economy) goals that much tougher.

 

I think part of this was Fords decision to halt 2 door F-150s... I always wondered what they would do without a 2 door. Guess thats my answer...

 

Boooo!

 

The "2-door" regular cabs are still there - they just have very small suicide type doors.

 

with the H-D moved to the Superduties (F250 line), I hope they'll also move the performers there as well. The current H-D has a base V-10 engine as it is, a big disappointment to those expecting a charger to come with it.
Personally, with the Harley image, I think a diesel would have been better. As far as the L goes, Ford has too many different models of the F150 as it is (king ranch, fx4, ect) which it can make more money off of.

I'm just waiting for a damned Ford Focus that can compete with all the AWD imports / srt neon.

 

I posted about this awhile back, I guess the mags have finally picked it up. I don't see the Lightning as being permanently gone, more like a Camaro hiatus. SVT WILL be expanding, of that there's no doubt in my mind. However, I don't expect we'll be seeing SVT's full line up until about 2007 which is quite a wait. Still, I think when that time rolls around, everyone will forget about the wait.

 

Well, with SVT's spokesman saying (Alan Hall, according to the Autoweek article) that IF it returns, it wouldn't be till 2008 or later.............. that doesn't give one much hope.

If you have anything to show this is incorrect, show it. The sad thing is that I e-mailed the head of SVTOA, who spewed last weeks company line about it being out in late '05, having the GT's engine, blah, blah. I guess he needs to talk to the SVT spokesman.

BTW, can you really be a "division" if all you build is 1 car???

Now, the REALLY sad part of all of this is all of the Lightning owners who are saying things like, "good, now my truck will go UP in value." Yea........... like they will pull their mods and stick it in the garage......... for the next 20-30 years. How ridiculous.

 

Fast trucks are my favorite vehicles (Typhoon being #1), I cant deny that. I dont know why I like them so much, I just do. I was hoping that GM would come big to the game with a Silverado SS packing ~500 hp from the Z06 engine in 2006 for the truck redesigns, but if Ford is getting out of the game I dont expect GM to enter

The Lightning was the only Ford Id love to have. It was a great truck.

 

That is rediculous. If that was the case my SS would be worth about $40,000 instead of its value dropping like a rock (not that I care). Vehicles don't appreciate in value just because the model is now dead, especially when they were widely available to anyone who was interested.