Emerging from a storm of pyrotechnics at the F-150 unveil event, Ford surprised us with the introduction of the SVT Lightning concept. Clearly not willing to leave the Dodge Ram performance truck threat unanswered, SVT rolled out a bold, hard-edged sport truck that exudes street dominance from every notched vent. Beneath the nostriled hood lurks a supercharged 5.4-liter V-8 producing 500 horsepower and 500 lb-ft of torque. The engine augments the intercooler with a special SuperCooler system that uses the air conditioning system to chill a small coolant tank, allowing the intercooler to dissipate 20 percent more heat. The SuperCooler is triggered automatically during wide open throttle, in the spirit of a nitrous system. Shared with the Mustang Cobra, a Tremec T-56 six-speed manual transmission tackles the shifting chores. The independent rear suspension is adapted from the Ford Expedition and tuned for optimum handling.
