1997-2003 Ford F150: Tenth Generation Part 2
The big news for the 1999 F150 was the new SVT Lightning. Ford’s Special Vehicle Team wanted to continue on the performance truck legacy, and they did so, taking it to the next level. Thanks to the Eaton supercharged 5.4L V8, the 1999 Lightning made 360 horsepower and 450 lb-ft of torque, making it one of the most powerful trucks on the road, and the only one at the time providing that type of performance. The 1999 F150 Lightning quickly claimed the title as the quickest and fastest production truck available in the United States, and it would hold that title until it was taken by the Dodge SRT-10 Ram in 2004.
In 2001, Ford unveiled their new F150 Super Crew, featuring 4 full size doors and the most seating room offered in an F150. The 2002 F150 received a new trimline with the FX4. The FX4 was intended to be more off-road ready, featuring Rancho shock absorbers and undercarriage skid plates, along with 17″ aluminum wheels and all of the options found on the 2002 F150 XLT models. The 2003 F150 saw yet another trimline added, as the F150 STX became available. This package was a sights and sounds package, featuring color keyed bumpers, clear headlight housings, integrated fog lights, 17″ chrome wheels, chrome step bars, and a Kenwood premium sound system.
2004 technically began the eleventh generation of the F-Series and the F150, but Ford offered a limited number of special 2004 Heritage Edition models using the F150s from the end of the 2003 production run.
