The Ford F-150 Lightning made its debut in 1992 as a pickup truck that was made to boost Ford's popularity by offering a balanced, high-performance vehicle. The first generation was offered from 1993-1995, and a second-generation followed four years later from 1999-2004. At this point, while some customers have hoped for a revival, Ford has ruled it out, noting the F-150 Lightning's inability to go off-roading as justification to instead focus on newer models.

Read on to find out a brief history of the Ford F-150 Lightning.

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First Generation Began In 1991

Red Ford F-150 Lightning outdoors on road
via Bring A Trailer

The Ford F-150 Lightning was split into two generations, with the first ending a few years before the turn of the century. In 1991, Ford created a Special Vehicle Team (SVT) to investigate niche vehicle market opportunities when corporate realized the advantages of exploring that possibility.

With a goal of making vehicles to satisfy the most knowledgeable of auto enthusiasts, the SVT was employed to create outstanding, high-performance vehicles to boost Ford's company profile. These vehicles were intended to have balanced attributes, meaning they could accelerate and brake with equal skill, and they could handle as well as they rode while being an enjoyable experience in the process.

In 1992, the SVT made their debut alongside the reveal of the 1993 Mustang Cobra at the Chicago Auto Show. Also revealed at that show was the original Ford F-150 Lightning. It was initially available in either black or red, with white added in 1994. From 1993 to 1995, Ford made 11,563 models, initially only available in the form of a standard cab short bed. They also had the engine of a Ford Windsor with the added touches of high flow rate GT40 heads.

To further boost the engine's response, hypereutectic pistons were introduced in order to make the engine more durable. When the Ford F-150 Lightning was launched, it was made to compete with the Chevy 454 SS in the high-performance pickup truck market. The first Lightning models also had custom embroidering and badging. The first-generation F-150 Lightning ended production in 1995 and took a four-year hiatus before the arrival of the next generation.

Second Generation Continues Into 21st Century

White and Black Ford F-150 Lightnings
via AutoEvolution

The Second Generation of Ford F-150 Lightning started in 1999 right before the 21st Century began, and production continued until 2004. Upgrades to the dated Lightning arrived in 2001, including air intake manifolds to improve the airflow, which gave the engine a 20 horsepower boost to 380 horsepower.

The wheels were new and tires had a new compound, and fog lamps, tail lamps, unique headlamps, and corner lamps were all incorporated into the redesigned Lightning. The grill was also redesigned. Many of these features were popular enough to continue in some form until the Lightning was discontinued in 2004.

The 1997 body style was the template for these upgrades, which began slowly in 1999 but wouldn't become more noticeable or dramatic for another two years. Leaking problems from earlier years' recalls were also addressed by reconstructing the intercooler, and the drive ratio was decreased to 3.73:1.

The second-generation F-150 Lightning was initially offered in red, black, and white, but silver came in 2000, and a dark blue came in 2002. The dark blue was replaced with light blue in 2003 and with it came Dark Shadow Grey. Altogether, Ford made 28,124 of these second-generation F-150 Lightning models at the Ontario Truck Facility in Oakville, Ontario.

Related: Bid On This 3k-Mile Second Gen Ford F-150 Lightning

Tried And Tested

Red Ford F-150 Lightning turning a curve
via Car And Driver

Several road tests have been done on the Ford F-150 Lightning to observe its performance under various conditions. It had many results, and, no pun intended, mileage may vary by tester. Testers noted how the second-generation Lightning models were more efficient and powerful with horsepower, and the final-drive ratio was shorter.

Some of the design elements were changed, like trim changes, taillight lens covers, and a new grill, and these were met with positive reception. Tests showed the F-150 Lightning could achieve 60 MPH in only 5.8 seconds, which is fairly impressive for a pickup truck. It could also hit 86 MPG in just 15.8 seconds, which was less noteworthy.

The Ford F-150 Lightning was also capable of towing 5000 pounds and carrying 800 pounds. The vehicle's four-wheel-disc brakes also received sound results in testing, with the second-generation vehicles requiring 12 fewer feet than the first-generation vehicles to come to a complete stop.

Throttle response was immediate and performed well in all circumstances except hard turns, at which point the F-150's suspension proved inadequate. Also of note is that the F-150 Lightning did not perform well in inclement weather, thanks to its high-performance tires and forward weight distribution not being optimized for driving in the snow.

No Off-Road Capability? No Revival.

Red Ford F-150 Lightning outdoors; rear view
via Gear Patrol

Ford's main rationale for not reviving the Ford F-150 Lightning is that its inability to perform off-road driving would lead to insufficient sales. Off-road driving is becoming more popular than on-road driving, and a truck without that utility and flexibility would not be well-received. Modern trucks need to have the ability to go off-roading and tow vehicles, as is customer demand for 2021.

That said, the Ford F-150 Lightning does gain value over time, thanks to their collectability and rare standing. By this point, the Ford F-150 Raptor and the 2021 Ram TRX have filled the F-150 Lightning's hole in the market, as they can perform well with both on-road and off-road capabilities.

Sources: blueovaltrucks.com, cjponyparts.com, caranddriver.com, carbuzz.com,

Next: 15 Reasons They Should Bring Back The Ford F-150 SVT Lightning, Pronto