(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."

 

Nice Read . . . hate the wait (no pun)!

 

2002 Cobra R? :scratch:

 

Nice catch! Yeah, did we miss an "R"?

 

Yeah, noticed that too. It sounds like the next Cobra (or whatever its called) will be lighter, but with less emphasis on power.

 

NNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO :bang: :bang: :bang: :bang:


WE WANT POWER!!!!!

 

Down, boy. These guys are allaying my fears. I've had nightmare visions of 1000hp production Vettes and such. Thuroughly wasteful. I'd rather they concentrate on weight and handling. Besides, I can imagine the first time a lighter Ford kicks a more powerful Chevy's **** and it makes me happy.

EDIT: 200th Post!!!

 

hey, its big for me, lol

 

Then take the IRS out of the Cobra and make it another comparatively boring 1/4-mile car. I'd rather there was a Cobra that could actually race instead of stoplight challenges.

 

can't... stop... staring... at moostang's avatar...

 

I don't know how I feel about this but, overall it's not good, but it makes logical sence.

Does this mean the next lightning will have around 390 HP and be so much lighter than the Dodge that it will beat it?

That is not what Ford Enthuests Really want I wouldn't think... But if thats the way it has to compromise than so be it.

 

reducing weight benefits just about every aspect of performance... acceleration, braking, handling... those are all actually just accelerations in various directions, and F=ma, or a=F/m, so the smaller the mass, the bigger the acceleration. Gas mileage too, obviously, though i doubt that's much of a concern for people buying these kinds of vehicles. (with the crazy low end torque you get from electric motors [the prius gets 295 lb-ft at 0-1200rpm!], i don't see why there aren't more full hybrid pick ups coming out...)

The one aspect of performance that does not benefit from a lower mass is top speed. Top speed is limited by wind resistance. Wind resistance is directly proportional to the velocity multiplied by some constant which depends on the aerodynamics of the vehicle. As you go faster, the force of the wind increases, until at some point, the force of the wind equals the force of the wheels pushing the car, at which point there is no more acceleration. The only way to increase the top speed of a vehicle is to increase its max power, or to make that aerodynamic constant smaller.

Personally, accleration (whether forward, backward or sideways) is a lot more important than top speed, at least on our 65mph side of the ocean.
But again, these kinds of vehicles aren't about practicality anyways, are they?
Its all about bragging rights!

 

Interesting. Ford I think is still going to need to play the (HP) numbers game.

 

Throw the GT engine in it.

 

The engine is has is almost a GT engine already....

Personally, if we're gonna get wild with engine choice, my vote is for the Cobra Concept's V10. Match Dodge cylinder for cylinder, and Ford would have the advantage of a new, flexible-architecture design for the future

 

We don't need no stickin' V-10 We can do it with good ol' V8 power...plus it would be better to rub it in on Dodge when the new Lightning takes back the record for fastest "Truck"

 

Regardless if they match Dodge HP for HP, the Lightning is cheaper!

 

I know! How dare they insult my car like that! :nono:

 

noooooooooooooooooooooooo!

I want my Pontiac 445 twin turbo DOHC 4 valve
!

less weight my hiney.