The Lightning died because the F-150 got too fat?
 

At least that's what the post on the HP says. Thought I have to believe the slow sales numbers also had something to do with it. What do you think?

Yes and no, the BIG reason the Lightning died is because it never had a back seat. Yeah I know.. a crew cab Lightning that is just stupid.. you can't make something that big handle. Agreed. But if it existed people would buy it, the crew cab Raptor makes no sense as an offroad vehicle either again because it's just too big and heavy, but they sell because most buyers just want the look they have no intention of ever using the capability.

Nope. There were no slow sales. There might have been a few dealerships that, when they finally got a Lightning, held onto the huge mark-up thinking it was their lottery ticket, which made the truck slow to move off their lot, but SVT only made a limited amount on purpose, and slow sales was never the reason.

Stewart

Yeah, wicked markups likely had something to do with it too. Good point.

An extended cab version could have sufficed with a short bed. But being it was a limited edition truck, sales were going to be low but high. Low compared to how many F150s were sold but high for how many Lightning were made and sold. The Raptors and Lightning are like the Mustang Shelby GT350, limited production run. Keeps them valuable and sought after.

IMO, What killed the Lightning wasn't because of a lack of seat space; as mentioned, they never suffered in sales as single cab models. I do remember reading that there was an issue with the weight on the front of the truck, but I believe there was more to it than just that. Big vehicle auto sales started declining and then the US stock market crashed. Then, the US fuel prices skyrocketed and Ford also went through a restructuring process during that time too. I personally believe if they built it, the buyer will come.

Like HELL you can't! https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...1df0be3ef9.png
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...720600e737.jpg
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...8663833eec.jpg

Tex, he wasn't commenting on the Gen 2 L's, he was saying if ever a crew cab L was made, it would be too big to handle, which is subjective of course, but accurate when compared to the single cab trucks.

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...4f002b5d6e.jpg
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...faf90e11d7.jpg

But I do agree with you! They can handle! ;) :D

Stewart

That first pic is of me at Texas Motorsports Ranch in Cresson, on a full set of Goodyear slicks I bought from a bud who put them on his H-D (the 4-dr blown one) to autocross with. IIRC, he did that with the original set, bought set #2, then sold them to me when his restaurant business went Tango Uniform.

Just make your own Lightning. Buy a single cab and then put a super charger. There's a dealer in Georgia in the selling the "Lightning" as their own dealer-created version. Nothing official by Ford. But it supposedly has a full warranty and everything since it was dealer created. $50,000. 650 HP.

Anything can handle well if you throw enough money at it.