(08:30 June 29, 2004)
Ford to lighten, tighten upcoming version of Lightning pickup
By RICHARD TRUETT | Automotive News
DETROIT -- Ford Motor Co. has no intention of letting the new 500-hp Dodge SRT-10 keep the title of world's fastest truck.
But John Coletti, director of Ford's Special Vehicle Team, acknowledges that automakers have hit a wall on how much horsepower they can give a vehicle. So the automaker will make the next-generation Ford F-150 Lightning pickup go faster by removing weight and improving handling.
"In the next generation, we've got to worry about efficiency, weight and better control," he says. "You can get great power-to-weight ratio without a fountain of horsepower."
Until the Ram SRT-10 pickup debuted this year, the Lightning had been the unchallenged leader in performance trucks for more than a decade.
But in February, the SRT-10 clocked a record speed of 154.587 mph.
Ford SVT engineers have experience in reducing weight with the 2002 Mustang Cobra R, a version for performance enthusiasts.
Strong, lightweight materials such as carbon fiber, magnesium, aluminum, ceramics and plastics can substitute for steel parts without major re-engineering.
Coletti says lighter parts and better-handling suspension systems might not come simultaneously.
"You'll start seeing it in incremental steps," he says. "Now that we have the engines where we want them, the question is what do you do with the rest of the car? Clearly you have to start looking at the weight aspect of it. If I could take 300 or 400 pounds out of the car, I wouldn't have to add any more horsepower. It would just be an incredibly faster, better handling, better braking car. All the attributes would improve."
Coletti believes automakers risk attracting attention from government regulators and the insurance industry by constantly increasing horsepower in their performance-oriented vehicles.
In the last two years, the number of vehicles with engines producing 400 hp to 500 hp and more has grown quickly.
"The focus now has to be better efficiency and weight reduction," Coletti says.
In the heyday of the American muscle car in the late 1960s, only a small number of limited-production vehicles made more than 400 hp.
The ratings of most Pontiac GTOs, Ford Mustangs, Dodge Chargers and Chevrolet Corvettes were in the 300-hp to 375-hp range.
Today, there are at least 14 cars and trucks with at least 400 hp.
Says Coletti: "We're hitting the limit."
Last edited by max43211234 : 06-30-2004 at 02:40 AM.
So i'm thinking if ford is going to use lite parts on they outside like fiberglass and plastic and if you get hit by a another car you will mostly be injured and your car will mostly be damaged. What happen to good old metal like in the 50's 60's 70's and before when I could jump on my dad's truck on top of the hood and wouldnt even make a scratch. Try doing that with todays cars or trucks jeez. I dont know whats going on with american auto makers sending all there so called american brand car but being assembled in mexico and canada and other place. So really if you think about it your not helping the american econemy at all your helping mexico and canada and the other countries and when you go to the dealerships and buy a american car your just buying the name. American auto makers need to get ahead of this game with building american cars in america with quality material. Built by Americans for the Americans.
Last edited by max43211234 : 06-30-2004 at 02:39 AM.
I dont know whats going on with american auto makers sending all there so called american brand car but being assembled in mexico and canada and other place.
the same reason why so much stuff is made in china/taiwan......CHEAP LABOR
why do so many companies outsource their IT department and other departments these days? Well because people in India with college degrees will work for about $5000 A YEAR and they can make the same if not better product than an american equivalent. Why pay one person $50,000 a year when you can pay another $5,000 a year and get the same quality product.
I dont see that as good news for ford guys. "We are at the wall on hp" is not something I'd ever want to hear. Dodge hasnt "hit a wall" yet.
Quote: Originally Posted by max43211234
Coletti believes automakers risk attracting attention from government regulators and the insurance industry by constantly increasing horsepower in their performance-oriented vehicles.
The excuses are starting already. I'm glad dodge wasnt scared to use 500+hp. Awww thats really nice of Coletti, looking out for the insurance and government regulators instead of ford customers.
I'm waiting for someone to unleash a part time awd system in a high hp truck. massive burnouts on command, or shit and get at the drop of a lever (or switch for all us lazy americans, lol).
Shame Phord can't make any power without a blower.....
There's no shame in a car with a blower...it's just more efficient! And have gobs more potential.
I was at a track day at Thunderhill Raceway last week and there were pretty much all kinds of cars there- Z06s, Cobras, STi's and Evos...but the two highest hp cars there were a Supra TT (759hp) and a Porsche GT2 (700hp).
Hell, I just traded my VR6 GTI for a 1.8T GLI. Costs half as much to get twice the hp with simple turbo and ECU upgrades. Thats why the SRT4 exists...
Shame Phord can't make any power without a blower.....
Shame DCX can't make any power without a turbo or AMG doing all the work. Who cares! Power is power. Whats the difference if it takes a N/A engine to make just as much power as a F/I engine and vice versa. Either way its the same thing. Having a blower or turbo is a lot easier to make faster then a N/A car thats for damn sure. Name me a part for a N/A car that makes as much of a difference as a $40 pulley does for a Lightning or a Cobra. You can't because there's no such thing.
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<-----He's got his popcorn! 11-1 bitches! Up next: Detroit Lions
I'm waiting for someone to unleash a part time awd system in a high hp truck. massive burnouts on command, or shit and get at the drop of a lever (or switch for all us lazy americans, lol).
That was one of the question I had asked two of the PVO engineers. The problem is the torque load for longevity. As with a 6-speed auto for the SRT trucks/cars, again they are thinking longevity.
I'm talking about the SRT-6, ME412, etc. But the Vipers V10 is *depending on which source you listen too* is a truck engine or was designed by Lamborghini.
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Just got more news on gen 3 lightning right now.
<-----He's got his popcorn! 11-1 bitches! Up next: Detroit Lions
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