SVT Ranger: Ford's Lightning-Powered Creation

author: FutureCar Staff    

Performance pickups used to be a thing. In the early 1990s, the Chevy 454 SS and the Toyota Tacoma X-Runner in the early 2000s were popular among enthusiasts. However, in 2003, Ford's Special Vehicle Team (SVT) engineers decided to create a performance truck using off-the-shelf parts to keep costs down.

The engineers started with a regular cab Ranger Flareside powered by a 2.4-liter I4 engine. They had a vision of using the 5.4-liter 380 horsepower supercharged V8 engine from the SVT Lightning. With a modified induction system and exhaust, they were able to achieve more power than the stock Lightning, reaching 420 hp and 480 lb-ft of torque.

To accommodate the increased power, the frame rails of the Ranger were boxed and cross-braced for stiffness. The suspension was lowered two inches, and control arms and steering knuckles were borrowed from the SVT Lightning. The Ranger was also equipped with a 3.73 rear axle from the Lightning, 18-inch Michelin Pilot Sport Cup tires, and a heavy-duty transmission from the F-Series pickups.

The interior of the SVT Ranger remained mostly stock, except for custom leather seats with yellow lightning bolts and body color trim on the doors. The result was an impressive little pickup. Motor Trend tested it and found that it could run the quarter mile in 13.8 seconds at 108 mph, while MotorWeek achieved 13.5 seconds at 101 mph.

Despite the success of the SVT Ranger, Ford had no plans to actually produce it. The head of SVT sales and marketing at the time confirmed that there was no room for two performance trucks in the lineup. It is speculated that Ford didn't want the smaller vehicle to outperform its bigger sibling, similar to the 911/Cayman situation. Nevertheless, it's interesting to imagine what could have been if Ford had released an SVT Ranger with that much power. Such a vehicle could have had a significant impact on automakers and their lineups for generations to come.

FutureCar Staff