2000 Ford F-150 - Page 1 Review

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Shopping for a 2000 Ford F-150? MSRP: $16,455 - $32,305

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Here's what you need to know about the Ford Special Vehicle Team's newest creation: It has 360 horsepower, 440 pound-feet of torque, 18-inch tires, goes 0-60 mph in 5.4 seconds, and does the quarter-mile in 14.6 seconds. Those are some impressive statistics. Sounds like it could be the next Mustang Cobra R…

As Regis would ask, "Is that your final answer?"

If it is, you lose the million.

One more hint — the vehicle we are describing has a 5000-pound towing capacity. And it's not an SUV. Yep, it's a pickup truck — the 2000 Ford SVT F-150 Lightning.

BMW, watch out?

As a pickup, no one expects the Lightning to be as fast as it is. Sure, its lower stance and aggressive front-end treatment hint that the Lightning is no ordinary F-150, but this truck packs a punch more severe than many performance cars. It does not seem that a truck could be quite so fast. One drive in the Lightning is all it takes to grasp just how amazing this truck's performance is. For perspective, consider that the Lightning can accelerate as fast as a BMW M Coupe from 0 to 60 mph and can nearly beat a Lexus GS400 in the quarter-mile. Yet it can still haul a load of mulch home from the garden center — and in short order.

2000 Ford SVT F-150 Lightning interior The Lightning’s interior is far removed from the truck norm — and more comfy than a Cobra ‘Stang.

To propel 4670 lb with such fervor, the Lightning uses a 5.4-liter SOHC V-8 engine. It starts out much the same as any other 5.4-liter Ford truck engine but adds a strapping supercharger, perched proudly on top of the engine. Much of the extra 100 horsepower of the engine is courtesy of the blower, but beside the blower, the Lightning engine also gets a beefier crankshaft, forged pistons and a new intake tract.