Ford Lightning = Axed?

[copperhead]

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

 

Looks like the Lightning is getting killed off, at least for now.

 

So much for that badass 500 HP concept they claimed was coming out.

[03STEED]

Sucks, I hoped to see that truck go to production.

[Nitrousbird]

What is up with Ford??? I have a feeling the bean counters are taking full control once again. But bean counters never take a look at the bigger picture. Killing off top performing models, trickles down to lower sales in other models.

 

The Cobra, Lightning, etc. aren't supposed to be a bread-and-butter vehicle for Ford. They are to add excitement to the brand, and get more people to look at other Ford offerings. Someone might take a look at the Cobra, see they can't afford it, but perhaps buy a GT instead.

 

GM has done the same crap in the past, and it has bitten them in the ass. They definately hurt a buyer base by axing the F-body. The difference is they still have a few other vehicles that can be a draw (GTO, Silverado SS, Vette), where Ford only has the Mustang GT (as the Ford GT is in the exotic catagory, and won't be seen on many showroom floors). Ford has really been going in the right direction the past few years........damn those bean counters!

[Adam]

Originally posted by Nitrousbird:

What is up with Ford??? I have a feeling the bean counters are taking full control once again. But bean counters never take a look at the bigger picture. Killing off top performing models, trickles down to lower sales in other models.

 

The Cobra, Lightning, etc. aren't supposed to be a bread-and-butter vehicle for Ford. They are to add excitement to the brand, and get more people to look at other Ford offerings. Someone might take a look at the Cobra, see they can't afford it, but perhaps buy a GT instead.

 

GM has done the same crap in the past, and it has bitten them in the ass. They definately hurt a buyer base by axing the F-body. The difference is they still have a few other vehicles that can be a draw (GTO, Silverado SS, Vette), where Ford only has the Mustang GT (as the Ford GT is in the exotic catagory, and won't be seen on many showroom floors). Ford has really been going in the right direction the past few years........damn those bean counters!

joe is right

[copperhead]

I'm sorry Joe, but the Silverado SS is a joke. The rest of your post I totally agree with.

[Nitrousbird]

Originally posted by copperhead:

I'm sorry Joe, but the Silverado SS is a joke. The rest of your post I totally agree with.

I am not arguing that the Silverado SS is a joke at all. But it IS the top-end "performance" edition of the GM truck lineup, even if it is a big failure. But the Silverado SS is better than not having anything at all.

[Tractor]

GM needs to get some balls about putting out cars.

Ford has a customer base that thinks a rebadge makes a different car.

And its damn sad that Chrysler has always been the ones to put there necks out for the chopping.

Chrysler makes of the harders to work on POS cars out there.

 

Evan

[njr682]

Originally posted by copperhead:

I'm sorry Joe, but the Silverado SS is a joke. The rest of your post I totally agree with.

Are they the fastest truck made? No. Are they a Joke? I don't think so. When you consider they are AWD, which no other sports truck offers, they do have a lot of potential. How many vehicles on this board would you consider fast in stock form. Sure, there are some, but most have been made fast by there dedicated owners.

Before I drove mine I might have agreed with you, but not now. It's nice knowing that I no longer have to make payments all winter on a vehicle thats sitting in my garage while I'm driving a beater. I traded in my '02 Camaro SS on it, and can honestly say I haven't missed it one bit. I have even used it to tow my '69 SS to the track.

 

 

Below are some track times on Silverado SS's from SilveradoSS.com:

 

(no g-tech times, no corrected times, and only silverado ss's)

 

OVERALL TOP 10

1. AZFASTESTSS: 11.795@115.68 1.682 60' (3a, 1b, 8b, 4c, 6c, 8c, 9c,10c, 12c, 14c, 20c)(Supercharger/14psi Boost and Nitrous 75 Shot)

2. 427: 12.230@110.83 1.794 60' (11b, 1c, 2c, 12c, 13c, 23c, 24c) (Turbo 12psi Boost)

3. mwalls54: 12.347@@109.49 1.769 60' (8a, 1c, 3c, 8c, 9c, 11c, 17c) SS (Nitrous 150 Shot)

4. hank: 12.408@108.73 1.764 60' (2a, 2b, 4c, 6c, 7c, 10c, 16c, 17c, 22c) (Supercharger/7psi Boost) (Nitrous 50 Shot)

5. AZFASTESTSS: 12.803@107.72 1.866 60' (1b, 8b, 6c, 8c, 9c, 20c, 4c, 10c, 12c, 14c) (Supercharger/14psi Boost)

6. Viperkiller97: 12.89@104.1 (7a, 10c, 9c, 8c, 17c) SS (Nitrous 135 Shot)

7. BigTex: 12.95@106.1 1.83 60' (5a, 12c, 1c, 5c, 18c, 9c, 3c, 8c, 10c) (Nitrous 100 Shot)

8. BSER: 13.167@102.01 1.84 60' (2b, 9b, 3c, 6c, 7c, 8c, 10c, 11c, 12c, 13c, 18c, 22c) SS (Supercharger/8.5psi Boost)

9. xcelr8: 13.205@103.54 1.961 60' (2b, 9b, 3c, 6c, 7c, 8c, 10c, 22c)

10. adams2003: 13.248@101.22 1.83 60ft (1b, 8c, 10c, 6c, 7c, 12c) SS (Supercharger/7psi Boost)

 

 

Supercharger and Nitrous

1. AZFASTESTSS: 11.795@115.68 1.682 60' (3a, 1b, 8b, 4c, 6c, 8c, 9c,10c, 12c, 14c, 20c)

2. hank: 12.408@108.73 1.764 60' (2a, 2b, 4c, 6c, 7c, 10c, 16c, 17c, 22c)

 

Supercharger

1. AZFASTESTSS: 12.803 (1b, 8b, 6c, 8c, 9c, 20c, 4c, 10c, 12c, 14c)

2. BSER: 13.167@102.01 1.84 60' (2b, 9b, 3c, 6c, 7c, 8c, 10c, 11c, 12c, 13c, 18c, 22c) SS

3. xcelr8: 13.205@103.54 1.961 60' (2b, 9b, 3c, 6c, 7c, 8c, 10c, 22c)

4. adams2003: 13.248@101.22 1.83 60' (1b, 8c, 10c, 6c, 7c, 12c) SS

5. GEAR M UP: 13.455@101.12 1.867 60' (2b, 8c, 9c 10c, 11c, 18c, 22c) SS

6. SSilverado60: 13.50@96.2 1.92 60' (6b, 8b, 18c, 8c, 12c, 10c) SS

7. hank: 13.581@99.04 1.931 60' (2b, 4c, 10c, 16c, 17c, 22c)

8. gabbett1: 13.71@98.7 2.013 60' (6b, 8c, 10c)

9. smithl3: 13.721@98.51 2.107 60' (6b, 8b, 7c, 8c, 10c, 18c) SS

10. dcairns:13.92@93 (2B) SS

11. cadowns: 13.933@96.95 2.144 60' (5b, 8c, 10c, 6c, 7c, 9b) SS

12. ChevyHighPerformance: 13.99@95.81 2.001 60' (2B)

 

Turbo:

1. 427: 12.230@110.83 1.794 60' (11b, 1c, 2c, 12c, 13c, 23c, 24c)

 

Nitrous

1. mwalls54: 12.347@109.49 1.769 60' (8a, 1c, 3c, 8c, 9c, 11c, 17c) SS

2. Viperkiller97: 12.89@104.1 (7a, 10c, 9c, 8c, 17c) SS

3. BigTex: 12.95@106.1 1.83 60' (5a, 12c, 1c, 5c, 18c, 9c, 3c, 8c, 10c)

4. n2opwr: 13.688@98.97 1.930 60' (6a, 9c, 8c, 18c) SS

 

Naturally Asperated

1. BigTex: 13.82@97.8 2.017 60' (12c, 1c, 5c, 18c, 9c, 3c, 8c, 10c) 13.82 @ 97.8 on a 2.017 60'

2. PCMFORLESS: 13.83 1.93 60' (1c, 2c, 3c, 8c, 18c, 12c, 9c, 10c)

3. SuperSport: 13.911@96.69 2.030 60' (3c, 9c, 18c, 10c, 6c, 7c, 11c, 12c) SS

4. Krambo: 13.972@90.21 1.878 60' (1c, 3c, 5c, 8c, 9c, 10c, 11c, 12c, 16c, 18c, 21c, 22c)

5. mwalls54: 14.202@96 2.165 60' (1c, 3c, 8c, 11c, 17c, 9c) SS

6. deezel: 14.257@94.63 2.09 60' (9c, 20c, 21c, 18c, 8c, 5c, 11c, 10c) SS

7. novanet: 14.415@91.56 1.953 60' (3c, 5c, 6c, 8c, 9c, 10c, 11c, 12c 18c)

8. m396 #00-011 14.439 1.945 60' (6c, 7c, 10c, 12c) SS

9. haynss: 14.474@91.607 x.xx 60' (1c,3c,9c,10c,11c,12c,21c,22c) SS

10. impalarasser: 14.510@89.32 (9c, 10c)

11. MustBBrent: 14.64@91.78 2.16 60' (10c, 6c, 18c, 5c, 9c, 8c)SS

12. darkseed: 14.71@92.21 (8c, 9c, 10c)

13. 383ss: 14.78@91.5 2.10 60' SS

14. pirate#3: 14.79@90.56 2.11 60' (20c, 9c, 17c, 9c, 8c,)

15. xxjiggaxx: 14.80@90.54 (8c) SS

16. chiel: 14.809@91.04 2.162 60' (10c) SS

17. Wizard: 14.83@90.58 2.1 60' (8c, 9c, 10c)

18. sslover: 14.85@90.95 (17c)

19. redsilveradoSS: 14.88@91.01 (8c, 9c, 10c) SS

20. 56chevywagon: 14.88@90.32 (9c, 7c, 18c) SS

21. d_a_n_payne: 14.95@91.98 (4c, 8c, 9c, 10c)

22. TimB: 14.977@90.00 (10c, 8c, 9c, 18c)

23. ginnie ss: 14.987@88.64 Stock

24. Craig W: 15.08@89.50 2.22 60' (10c, 9c) SS

25. rdss: 15.10@87.44 (9c, 8c, 7c) SS

26. sshadow: 15.126@89.27 SS

27. DaGeorge: 15.189@88.92 2.162 60'

28. n2opwr: 15.239@89.23 2.178 60' (8c, 9c) SS

29. gbounds: 15.543@86.72 2.253 60' (10c)

30. vette dude 15.702@85.73 2.377 60'

 

Nitrous

1a. 35hp shot

2a. 50hp shot

3a. 75hp shot

4a. 90hp shot

5a. 100hp shot

6a. 125hp shot

7a. 135hp shot

8a. 150hp shot

9a. 175hp shot

10a. 200hp shot

 

Boost

1b. Vortech Supercharger

2b. Magnacharger Supercharger

3b. Powerdyne Supercharger

4b. Whipple Supercharger

5b. Kenne Bell Supercharger

6b. Procharger Supercharger

7b. Paxton Supercharger

8b. Intercooler upgrade

9b. Supercharger pulley upgrade

10b. STS Turbo

11b. W2W Turbo

 

Other parts

1c. Cam

2c. Heads

3c. Long tube headers

4c. Short tube headers

5c. Underdrive Pulley

6c. Shift kit

7c. Servo upgrade

8c. Cat back upgrade

9c. Cold air induction

10c. P.C.M upgrade

11c. Spark plug wires

12c. Torque converter upgrade

13c. Transmission upgrade

14c. Drag Radial/Slicks

15c. Wheel upgrade

16c. Weight reduction

17c. Mass air flow sensor upgrade

18c. Cooling fan upgrade

19c. Timing retard box

20c. Throttle body upgrade

21c. Throttle body coolant bypass

22c. Thermostat temperature change

23c. Gear ratio change

24c. Extra cubes

[copperhead]

If it came with a turbo from the factory, I may have been willing to give the truck a shred of respect.

 

I would much rather have an SRT/10.

[Nitrousbird]

Seriously, the Silverado SS is a 40k truck that runs mid 15's stock.

 

The Lightning is a 33k truck that runs 13's stock.

 

Had the SS been priced to compete with the Lightning, then I think it would be justifiable. Though far slower, it has attributes that the Lightning doesn't have. Hell, GM has OFF THE SHELF items (aka no real development costs needed) that would have made the truck better. What would that be?? Regular cab (lighter), and the 8.1L motor (heavy AWD truck needs all the torque it can get).

 

GM knows how to make a fast AWD truck. 13 years ago they made the Syclone, which will easly run circles around a Silverado SS stock for stock. Different classes of trucks of course, but you get the picture.

 

Also, why buy a Silverado SS when for 6k more you could have an SRT-10, which offers everything the SS has but with a LOT more HP, far more of a "status" symbol.

 

If the Silverado SS was priced a lot less, it would be worth the money. But it's too hard to justify when you can get better performance for a less money, or get the best of the best performance for just a little more.

[Skinner]

Also, why buy a Silverado SS when for 6k more you could have an SRT-10, which offers everything the SS has but with a LOT more HP, far more of a "status" symbol.

One thing to remember thou with the SRT-10 you cannot put more than 500 lbs in the bed an if i remember right installing a trailer hitch will void the warrenty. The truck is in no way made to handle any type of towing load. Where the SS still can.

But the SS was not made to be a srt-10 or svt fighter. I do agree the price is way to high but people are willing to pay the price for the better looks and performance than a regular Silverado.

Its a step in the right direction hopefully they start taking more steps.

[Tractor]

Well the price may be right as far as GM trucks go. They have a pretty high price on there Heavy Duty fullsize trucks as it is. There is a major jump from there W/T model to there 3500HD.

 

I agree the price is to high. I understand why the HD's are more expensive there is alot of serious stuff added to help them haul 16K loads, but the SS is just a marginally faster truck that looks better.

 

Evan