Foundation Stock
The second-gen 2003 Lightning delivers things the new one can’t.
Nostalgia is a gooey thing. It presents a past more imagined than real—a vision through the Vaseline-covered corneas of youth. But seat time in Jesus Martinez’s 2003 Ford SVT F-150 Lightning merits some bygone myopia. The all-electric F-150 Lightning is quicker but not always better.
At 31, Martinez isn’t old enough to have driven his truck when it was new. Unencumbered by memories, he appreciates the pickup’s sensations as fresh things. “It’s all mechanical,” he explains. “That’s what’s so great about it.”
Running 100-plusoctane E85, the black Lightning ignites with a vivid whine from the M112 Roots-style supercharger. Approaching its 20th birthday, Martinez’s truck has, well, evolved a bit over the decades. The blower has overdriven pulleys, the intake is freer flowing, and there’s an aftermarket exhaust that sounds like it’s singing La Traviata in the exact key of a 5.4liter 16-valve overheadcam V-8.
The 2003 Lightning was the next-to-last year for this second generation, so it benefitted from an update for 2001, when it sprouted a new 90-mm mass air flow sensor and the finaldrive ratio shortened to 3.73:1. That upped the engine’s output from
360 hp during 1999 and 2000 to 380 for models built between 2001 and 2004. The 0–60-mph romp took 5.2 seconds back then. That’s 1.2 seconds less rapid than its electric son, but it’s a fun 1.2 seconds.
Now a novelty, the old Lightning is what was once known as a regular-cab truck. “I like the cab,” Martinez shares. “It means I can tell people there’s no room for them to come along.”
When Ford’s SVT was a thing, all its vehicles wore white-face gauges that reverse-glowed at night. They are here in all their analog glory behind a steering wheel with a thin rim and an airbag the size of a large fanny pack. There’s even a column-mounted wand controlling the fourspeed automatic transmission. “It’s a burnout machine,” Martinez says about his rear-drive, stepside beast.
Wearing Nitto tires on stock 18-inch wheels, the aged Lightning has presence and attitude. Some of the decoration is old school—like two-tone upholstery— but it’s not archaic. There’s badassery here, both intimidating and charming.
The suspension is stiff, and the hydraulically assisted steering is almost soulful in its communion with the front tires. Turn-in isn’t quick, but it is satisfying. The comfort comes from the sensations the truck generates, not those things from which it isolates the driver.
Roaring along the streets of Maywood, California—gateway to Vernon, the City of Commerce, and parts of Los Angeles—good things that have passed away from current trucks become obvious. This F-150’s cowl is low, and the hood drops away for better visibility. The dashboard doesn’t glow with massive screens but trusts the driver to interpret its info and read a map. It offers things no new truck maker is selling now.
Some mist in the eyes is okay.
long, meaning things like four-wheelers or motorcycles will hang out onto the tailgate. Longer lumber loads will take a supply of red flags to mark the overhang.
With that in mind, the greater deficit is that as load increases, range takes a hit. That’s particularly true when towing. While extended-range Lightnings are rated at 1952 pounds of cargo capacity and 7700 pounds of towing ability (and up to 10,000 pounds with the Max Trailer Tow package), trips will have to be planned carefully. Car and Driver, our sister publication, hooked up a 6100-pound trailer and saw the Lightning’s range drop by more than half. Even more daunting, the indicated range calculated by the truck’s algorithm dropped from a predicted 288 miles to a mere 96. For cross-country towing adventures, the Lightning makes little sense.
As a machine for bouncing around town, taking the dogs along, or moving some stuff a short distance, the Lightning is fine. And with its large front trunk, it’s a great personal companion if it often runs unladen. It says all the right things about the boss who is driving it.
Still, at this point, before the last gas station closes and while there are things worth towing, more conventional F-150s will be a better choice for many buyers. The F-150 Hybrid looks like a solid compromise, considering it’s easy to refuel and carries a 25-mpg EPA fuel economy rating on both the highway and in the city.
Also, the Lightning isn’t cheap. From a base price of $54,769, including a $1795 destination charge, the 2022 XLT rose to $76,384 as driven. The Platinum track-test example cost a whopping $93,609. And with all the production already committed, dealers are getting a lot more. There’s something very American about that too.