Ford F150 SVT Lightning Concept - The SVT Lightning concept was a surprise during Ford's unveiling of the all-new 2004 F-150. Launching a 'Whole New Era of Built Ford Tough,' the new F-150 is an all-new full-size pickup architecture designed for more power, refinement and unprecedented driving dynamics capability. It is the star of Ford Motor Company's biggest-ever wave of new-product introductions at the dawn of its Centennial year. The SVT F-150 Lightning concept features a six-speed manual transmission, independent rear suspension and a 500-horsepower supercharged V-8. It is a powerful combination aimed at extending SVT Lightning's supremacy into the future.
Designer John Coletti's team fit the SVT Lightning concept with an all-aluminium, 5.4-liter DOHC supercharged and intercooled V-8 engine conservatively rated at 500 horsepower and 500 foot pounds of torque. And while they were at it, they invented and patented a speed secret for those times when even that much power just isn't enough. Ford's patented SuperCooler technology cleverly provides a special burst of power for the SVT Lightning concept. Traditional intercoolers dissipate heat from the supercharged air by circulating coolant through a front-mounted, air-cooled radiator. With the SuperCooler system, the vehicle's air conditioning system is used to chill a small storage tank of coolant to about 30 degrees Fahrenheit. On demand, the SuperCooler system switches the intercooler flow from its normal circulation and dumps the chilled coolant into the engine's intercooler. In turn, the intercooler dissipates up to 20 percent more heat from the charge air - resulting in a denser air charge.
The SVT F-150 Lightning concept features an independent rear suspension and SVT's famous attention to every detail of the suspension, steering and braking systems for driving dynamic capabilities that match the sport truck's awesome power.
SVT engineers chose to fit an independent rear suspension (IRS) system to the Lightning concept in lieu of F-150's standard Hotchkiss type solid rear axle with leaf springs and outboard shock absorbers. The IRS unit was adapted from the Ford Expedition.
