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High-Performance Ford F-150 Street Truck Under Consideration


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Wow - nothing but sheer speculation with no facts or inside info.  Of course they’re considering it - they probably consider it on every generation.  But suggesting it would use the 3.5L ecoboost is silly when the Raptor R will most likely use a SC V8.

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1 hour ago, akirby said:

Wow - nothing but sheer speculation with no facts or inside info.  Of course they’re considering it - they probably consider it on every generation.  But suggesting it would use the 3.5L ecoboost is silly when the Raptor R will most likely use a SC V8.

 

I think a modern Lightning straight up bombs if it gets a 3.5 EB.  

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3 hours ago, akirby said:

Wow - nothing but sheer speculation with no facts or inside info.  Of course they’re considering it - they probably consider it on every generation.  But suggesting it would use the 3.5L ecoboost is silly when the Raptor R will most likely use a SC V8.

 

Well, If Ford is going to do it, there is no reason why there wouldn't be Lightning and Lightning R in parallel to Raptor and Raptor R.

 

In fact, I think the whole idea is probably to increase the volume on the HO V6 and the SC V8 to lower unit cost while still controlling it on limited high performance version as to not torpedo CAFE. - i.e. Ford probably did the calculation on CAFE projection with F-150 EV and hybrid sales mix and found out it can sell additional X number of HO V6 and SC V8 and still not trigger a penalty. But adding more Raptor could cause retail prices to drop so they are developing alternate use for those engine that can also command high profit margin but won't necessarily cannibalize Raptor. Street performance truck like Lightning will have a different audience vs. off road performance truck like Raptor. At least that's the theory. 

 

Edited by bzcat
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As pointed out, not much there as far as actual evidence they're working on one, but still fun to speculate I guess.

 

I do think there's a market there, but it'd have to be SuperCrew in today's market - I honestly think that's a bigger reason they died off rather than lack of demand for a street truck - Lightnings were never offered in more than a regular cab, which is a recipe for failure.  Make it street oriented without sacrificing too much "truck" capability.  I know my dad would've bought a new Lightning 100x over a Raptor if it were offered.

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A modern day lighting is going to bomb after the first 100 people buy them. The higher the performance of an on road truck the lower the practicality of the truck. Why everyone has stopped building them. Raptor is about 70k, and an on road version will be very close to that and will be considerably worse at almost everything short of acceleration where you might gain a second and handling where you become very limited in towing, payload and ride. Will people really spend 70k on that when they can get a Mustang Corvette or charger that will wipe the floor of a high performance pickup. 

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Why even bring up Mustang or Charger when talking about a potential Lightning truck? People buying a Lightning will do so because it is a truck. Just like the people that buy Raptor because they want a street legal trophy truck, they are not doing to to wipe the floor with something else. 

 

People spend $150k on useless things like G63 or the Lamborghini SUV all the time. $70k street performance truck, if done right, will probably generate enough interest. Raptor was a silly idea too but rich people love silly ideas.

 

 

Edited by bzcat
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2 hours ago, jasonj80 said:

A modern day lighting is going to bomb after the first 100 people buy them. The higher the performance of an on road truck the lower the practicality of the truck. Why everyone has stopped building them. Raptor is about 70k, and an on road version will be very close to that and will be considerably worse at almost everything short of acceleration where you might gain a second and handling where you become very limited in towing, payload and ride. Will people really spend 70k on that when they can get a Mustang Corvette or charger that will wipe the floor of a high performance pickup. 

 

Because Mustang, Corvettes, or Chargers don't have 4 doors (well Charger does), or a bed?

 

Some want the performance of Raptor without needing the off-roading ability.

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2 hours ago, rmc523 said:

As pointed out, not much there as far as actual evidence they're working on one, but still fun to speculate I guess.

 

I do think there's a market there, but it'd have to be SuperCrew in today's market - I honestly think that's a bigger reason they died off rather than lack of demand for a street truck - Lightnings were never offered in more than a regular cab, which is a recipe for failure.  Make it street oriented without sacrificing too much "truck" capability.  I know my dad would've bought a new Lightning 100x over a Raptor if it were offered.

 

The F 150 Harley had the Lightening engine in a supercrew body, I think for the '03 and '04 model years (maybe more).

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On 4/23/2021 at 6:55 PM, bzcat said:

Why even bring up Mustang or Charger when talking about a potential Lightning truck? People buying a Lightning will do so because it is a truck. Just like the people that buy Raptor because they want a street legal trophy truck, they are not doing to to wipe the floor with something else. 

 

People spend $150k on useless things like G63 or the Lamborghini SUV all the time. $70k street performance truck, if done right, will probably generate enough interest. Raptor was a silly idea too but rich people love silly ideas.

 

 


Just like the Raptor a G63 can still hang in the mud and sand and is probably one of the most capable off road vehicles ever made, and a Lamborghini SUV offers the on road performance while seating 4 people and still can tow, both of these have very sophisticated suspension systems (electronic dampers, sway disconnects, air and hydraulic suspension systems that allow some of the best of both worlds) The Raptor was never a silly idea as can be shown by the sales of it, you take what a truck is already good at can excel at and make it better, but even then you lose some towing and payload ability over a regular f-150. The Raptor started as a NG Lighting and that project was killed for what became the Raptor. It was also the reason the Adrenalin Sport-trac concept never finished. No market and to many compromises. 

 

On 4/23/2021 at 8:31 PM, rmc523 said:

 

Because Mustang, Corvettes, or Chargers don't have 4 doors (well Charger does), or a bed?

 

Some want the performance of Raptor without needing the off-roading ability.


You can't get suspension travel necessary for both a payload or performance so you end up sacrificing one. If you go to an IRS you end up with even less payload or towing ability. That is unless you go to a full performance air/hydraulic suspension which adds a considerable cost to the vehicle. I just used those as examples but a Charger/BMW 5 Series/E-Class all offer performance versions that offer 4 doors and a trunk. A BMW M5 can tow 4400lbs, a performance F-150 would be around 5,000lbs unless you get into fancy suspensions. 

Assuming you do a full suspension treatment, the low profile high performance tires that will last 10K miles by side on a dealer lot how many people are going to choose the low riding pickup that has 550hp and costs the same as a Raptor with 500hp in that 75K range, is it going to be enough to justify the 100-200million investment in the truck? Should Ford do a high performance road version of the Ranger or Bronco or an off road version of the Mustang with big tires? 

If a manufacture is willing to invest in the money and make it a halo vehicle and realize you're not going to make a profit on it. Then do it, but from a business perspective it just doesn't make any sense the market is small. 

The electric f-150 would be a wild card as the nature of the truck would present the best option for a high performance version as there is probably a limited number of the first adopters that would sacrifice utility for performance. At the end of it, F-150 is a truck, would be setting it up for failure allowing it to be something it isn't. 

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The difference they gave from the Lightning and S/C Harley F150 in terms of towing was related to the tune of the truck and the tire spec (many who towed much higher than rated with no issue). To offer a Lightning in more then one cab style would be a better business case and spread some of the cost out. They did it with Raptor for a long time. Someone who buys a Raptor or a L would be buying it for what it can do that a normal F150 can't. And towing is not something those buyers care about. Most people who own F150s never even tow anyway. Raptors see more pavement than dirt. Lightings haul mulch, groceries and slicks more then anything else on weekends. I say BRING IT!

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On 4/23/2021 at 10:44 AM, ESP08 said:

 

I think a modern Lightning straight up bombs if it gets a 3.5 EB.  

Depends on which version.  No reason to pay for a premium performance version if it uses the same 400hp version as the regular f150 or 430hp powerboost.  Now a 600+ hp version from the GT, that’s a different story.

 

Predator or whatever the 6.8L is would be cool.

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11 hours ago, slemke said:

Depends on which version.  No reason to pay for a premium performance version if it uses the same 400hp version as the regular f150 or 430hp powerboost.  Now a 600+ hp version from the GT, that’s a different story.

 

Predator or whatever the 6.8L is would be cool.

 

In the current times I think a Lightning needs over 700 HP to be worthwhile.   

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On 4/23/2021 at 5:55 PM, bzcat said:

Why even bring up Mustang or Charger when talking about a potential Lightning truck? People buying a Lightning will do so because it is a truck. Just like the people that buy Raptor because they want a street legal trophy truck, they are not doing to to wipe the floor with something else. 

 

People spend $150k on useless things like G63 or the Lamborghini SUV all the time. $70k street performance truck, if done right, will probably generate enough interest. Raptor was a silly idea too but rich people love silly ideas.

 

 

well said,some people just say any dam thing.If FORD built a four door Torino and gave it over 800hp,it would sell.

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1 hour ago, ESP08 said:

 

Interesting, so they're going after Tesla.   Makes sense I guess

 

Hardly! No one does trucks like Ford and Ford would be producing the 2023 F-150 Lightning regardless of anything Tesla or any other manufacturer might attempt. Ford's been the truck leader for 43 years and that's not going to change. No one knows, understands or is as committed to truck buyers as Ford. Ford continuously raises the bar leaving the competition in a perpetual mode of trying to catch up!  

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3 hours ago, ice-capades said:

 

Hardly! No one does trucks like Ford and Ford would be producing the 2023 F-150 Lightning regardless of anything Tesla or any other manufacturer might attempt. Ford's been the truck leader for 43 years and that's not going to change. No one knows, understands or is as committed to truck buyers as Ford. Ford continuously raises the bar leaving the competition in a perpetual mode of trying to catch up!  

 

It seems to me like Ford is using Lightning to answer the dual motor or tri-motor Cybertruck instead of just slapping in whatever V8 the Raptor R gets next year.  

I think it makes a lot of sense, the street truck crowd will love the hole shot a powerful electric motor provides.  

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4 minutes ago, ESP08 said:

 

It seems to me like Ford is using Lightning to answer the dual motor or tri-motor Cybertruck instead of just slapping in whatever V8 the Raptor R gets next year.  

I think it makes a lot of sense, the street truck crowd will love the hole shot a powerful electric motor provides.  

 

Seriously?   The BEV F150 has been in development for YEARS.  The prototype pulled a freight train 2 years ago.   The Cybertruck was Tesla's answer to the already announced BEV F150 and Rivian, not the other way around.

 

This isn't a new model, it's the same BEV F150 they've been developing.  They just named it Lightning.

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3 minutes ago, akirby said:

 

Seriously?   The BEV F150 has been in development for YEARS.  The prototype pulled a freight train 2 years ago.   The Cybertruck was Tesla's answer to the already announced BEV F150 and Rivian, not the other way around.

 

This isn't a new model, it's the same BEV F150 they've been developing.  They just named it Lightning.

 

Cybertruck had 3 powertrains announced in 2019:  single motor, dual motor and a triple-motor capable of 0-60 mph in 2.9 seconds.

You don't think Ford's choice to resurrect a legendary high-performance nameplate has anything to do with Cybertruck's top spec models?  

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