TRUCKS

The Original Ford F-150 SVT Lightning Was Never the World’s Fastest Truck

The Ford Lightning has earned legendary status in car culture, including its role as the shop van The Fast and the Furious. The first-generation SVT Lightning (1993-1995) had 240 horsepower from Ford’s 5.8-liter V8. But it was also a full-size pickup truck. It would be relatively slow by modern supertruck standards—and it wasn’t even the fastest pickup truck of its day.

How fast was the first Ford Lightning?

(SVT) built the first generation F-150 Lightning from 1993-1995. Car and Driver tested the Lightning time 0-60 mph in 7.2 seconds. He finished the 1/4 mile in 15.8 seconds with a top speed of 86 mph.

. Chevy’s full-size sport utility truck can hit 60 mph in just 7.1 seconds, run the 1/4 mile in 15.7 and reach 100 mph in 22.5 seconds—according to the .

1994 Ford F-150 SVT Lightning | Fastlane Classic Cars via YouTube

While these are two half-ton trucks, they haven’t come close to the record for the world’s fastest production truck. Back in 1993, it still belonged in a 1991 GMC Cyclone. This compact truck is paired with a turbocharged V6 engine from Buick Grand National with an AWD chassis for an unprecedented 5.3-second 0-60mph time.

In its defense, the SVT Lightning was still a full-size truck with truck capabilities. The compact GMC Syclone had soft suspension so its payload capacity was only 500 pounds.

Was the original F-150 Lightning faster than modern monster trucks?

In a word: no. Modern factory monster trucks combine a sports car-tuned engine with all-wheel drive to outrun anything else in a race of up to 60 mph. The 1993 RWD Lightning, with its 240-horsepower engine, will be left in the dust by most.

Close-up of the Ford Lightning pickup truck engine.
1994 Ford F-150 SVT Lightning | Fastlane Classic Cars via YouTube

One such example is the Ram 1500 TRX with a 702-hp Hellcat supercharged engine. Car and Driver tested its 60 mph time in 3.7 seconds. It can run 1/4 mile in 12.3 seconds at 110 mph, and its top speed is limited to 118 mph by the governor.

Another example is the Ford F-150 Raptor R. With a supercharged V8 based on the engine in the Shelby Mustang GT500, it has very similar specs to the TRX: 3.6 seconds 0-60 time and 1/4 mile in 12 seconds. .

Since the era of the 1993 Ford F-150 SVT Lightning, the monster truck world has completely changed. And now, it’s changing again. The new truck’s fastest is 3.3 seconds with a 0-60 time and a 1/4 mile time of 11.9 seconds.

Is the new Ford F-150 Lightning faster than the original SVT Lightning?

The new electric Ford F-150 Lightning hit 60 mph in just 4.0 seconds and then finished the 1/4 mile in just 12.7 seconds in the Car and Driver test. That makes it much faster than the 1993 Ford SVT Lightning, which achieved 7.2 seconds and 15.8 seconds, respectively.

Side shot of a 1994 Red Ford F-150 SVT Lightning muscle truck parked in a showroom, white wall visible in the background.
1994 Ford F-150 SVT Lightning | Fastlane Classic Cars via YouTube

Interestingly, in many other ways, the two trucks are comparable. Both are special editions of the full-size F-150 with completely unique drivetrains. Both trucks maintain the capabilities of a half-ton truck while delivering sporty performance for their day. If the future is electric, the future looks very fast.

Next, learn why electrics are a bargain, or learn more about Ford’s SVT division in the video below:

Watch Hoonigan’s 500-hp SVT Lightning in this latest video:

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