Ford cedes the performance pick-up....

blkZ28Conv · 11-11-04, 05:54

market to Dodge.

The Lightning is going the way of the f-bodies - to pasteur.

rjstaaf · 11-11-04, 06:12

There are rumors that SVT is going to dissappear entirely.

blkZ28Conv · 11-11-04, 06:31

I hope not!

It was a shame that GM gave up so easily on producing a "real" affordable muscle car.

Intel486 · 11-11-04, 07:01

They just said it's being delayed until further notice.

I kind of think it's for 1) to focus on putting the new Cobra out and 2) to see what gas prices do. It'll kind of be hard to sell a large, high performance truck that guzzles the gas if it costs $50 a week to fill it up.

Dave N · 11-11-04, 07:35

I think the Big 3 should try marketing a lower-priced (lower than SS/SVT/SRT) full-sized "street" truck. Maybe something with a body kit, lowered a bit, wheels, and their biggest V8 as an option. I'm thinking that there are a lot of people like me who would buy something for a little more $$$, but don't necessarily have $35-50K to spend on an SS, SRT or SVT.

Of course you can always buy off the lot, and then customize yourself. But after pouring a bunch of money into my Tacoma and then not realizing any of it when I sold it, I'll never go down that road again (well, not very far down that road). I would like to put some nicer wheels on my Silverado, but I just can't justify spending the money. It would somehow seem different if I were spending then money up front for a factory truck with a few more niceties, and it was all rolled into the loan. I guess that's not very money-savvy, but that's how a lot of people think, and in my opinion it would sell more trucks than the all-out expensive performance trucks.

blkZ28Conv · 11-11-04, 07:51

Dave in reality they could sell both the SVT and SRT closer to $30,000 rather than $50,000. The price of all the add-on do not equate with the price of the base truck plus these items. Unfortunately, the market and lack of availability (company created shortage) allows pricing to greatly out-distance cost. Somewhere along the line they lost the formula for reasonable hi-preformance option pricing (1995 V6 Camaro ~15,000 Z28 non-convertible ~18,500).

Scottwax · 11-11-04, 04:06

I guess on the upside, Chevy put a real V8 into the SSR, so it now has 390hp. It won't keep up with the Dodge but it is more than 100hp than they rolled it out with.

I wish GM would come out with a more affordable and better styled version of the GTO. Not that the GTO is hideous but it looks too much like a Cadaver, I mean Cavalier. A nice, mid sized, RWD, V8 powered sedan with a real back seat that doesn't cost $30,000.

1 Clean WS6 · 11-11-04, 04:34

I own a 2000 f-body and a 2002 Lightning.

I am the death knell for a model line....

Seriously though...it appears that the "bean counters" have gotten a hold of the power at Ford recently and are cutting projects/models like mad. They do not seem to realize that while a performance truck may be a niche market...it does one heck of a job bringing folks into the dealership. They may not buy a Lightning but chances are they'll still buy an F150.

All the while Dodge keeps hitting home runs....

tailwind · 11-18-04, 09:22

I think it'll be back. All SVT models are defunct for the year. The new Cobra will be coming back next year since they just brought out a brand new Mustang. The F150 is also new, wouldn't be surprised to see a new Lightning.

I think the SVT Focus was axed because of bad sales. It was a cool little car, my 50 year old mother drives one, but that's one I wouldn't expect to see back.

Dodge is attacking the performance car market pretty hard. The Neon, Crossfire, and Ram all have high performance models. The 300C is going to get one. The Magnum's probably the fastest factory station wagon ever. The Viper speaks for itself. Meanwhile, Ford has the GT and the Mustang, and GM has the Corvette, GTO, and CTS-V, although there's plans to hop up more models in the Cadillac and Pontiac line soon. If SVT comes back, there could be a nice fight for the niche market going on.

LouisanaJeeper · 11-18-04, 09:36

i likes the dodge power wagon

too bad SVT seems to be focused on riced out focusees these days

rlspringer · 11-19-04, 03:38

I would like to see Ford bring back the 427 and replace the V10. The 427 would get better MPG than the V10 and you could really add some power to the 427.

Gonzo · 11-19-04, 04:44

$50 a week for gas - in your dreams!

I traded my L for an Accord V6 Coupe because June and July I paid $280 each month just for gas to go to work and back - that was within $20 of my loan payment!

It had 4# pulley, 4 way chip, TB, cone filter, shift kit, 4:10's, traction bars, line lock, Bassani exhaut from heads to tips (SS), chrome replicas, making 371RWHP 475 RWTQ at 90 degrees air temp on 92 octance. 12 MPG or less in the city (minimal hot rodding) but 20 MPG on interstate doing 70 on cruise. Sorry to see it go!

Last month the Accrod was under $100....