Blast from the Past - Ford Ranger Thunderbolt

[Admin]

As SLP Engineering’s Chevrolet Camaro SS and Pontiac Firehawk near the end of their existence (see the First Drive), the company named for Street Legal Performance is turning its attention toward the hot vehicles of today and expanding its reach. In its first partnership with Ford, SLP will provide “second-sticker” upgrades to the compact Ranger pickup as early as this autumn. The metamorphosed trucks will carry the name Thunderbolt.

Through a different arrangement, aftermarket dealers or consumers can use SLP products to convert GM’s compact pickups, the Chevrolet S-10 and GMC Sonoma, into the Seeker and Xpress, respectively. The Thunderbolt project is closer to the program SLP has with GM on the Camaro SS and Firehawk. As a second-sticker supplier, SLP itself performs the modifications on the vehicles fresh off the production line, and then the automaker distributes them fully warranted. The Thunderbolt also will mirror SLP’s philosophy of offering performance as well as appearance upgrades — affordably and without significant trade-offs.

Quite the contrary, most current automaker-supplied sport pickup trucks (see What Makes a Sport Truck in our Pickup Truck Buying Guide) typically fall into two categories: appearance upgrades on one end and full-bore sportification on the other. Options such as Chevy’s S-10 Xtreme — not to be confused with the SLP-engineered Xpress — are solely appearance oriented. At the other end of the scale is Ford’s fire-breathing SVT F-150 Lightning full-size pickup, undeniably the fastest, sportiest pickup on the market, but one that pays a penalty in terms of payload and towing capacities as well as ground clearance. (I’ve not yet tested the upgraded 2001 Lightning, but you can get a taste for the previous iteration in The World’s Fastest Pickup.)

The Thunderbolt will have no drawbacks compared to the Ranger 4x2 Super Cab on which it is based, SLP claims. The upgrade starts with a base package (estimated $1,499 suggested retail) that consists of appearance upgrades. It includes a new front fascia, full-length body cladding, rocker-panel extensions, a new rear roll pan and tailpipe, Thunderbolt badges and lightning-bolt graphics.

“When we worked with Ford on the Thunderbolt, the designers asked us to try and make it like son of Lightning,” said Jeff Yachnin, SLP’s chief engineer. “So the front fascia has a Lightningesque look about it; it has a nice bold look.”

Aside from the look, the Thunderbolt doesn’t try to emulate big daddy too much. Its optional performance upgrades (price TBA) are more modest, but significant. The Performance Package includes a free-flow induction system and free-flow “cat-back” exhaust system that provide a 15-horsepower increase to the 4.0-liter V-6 engine or 10 additional horses to the 3.0-liter V-6. Other functional and performance options include a choice of soft or hard tonneau covers and compatible rear spoilers, fog lamps, Muth signaling side mirrors similar to those on the Ford Expedition, a monochromatic grille, lightning-bolt stripes on the cargo box, a nonfunctional hood scoop, carbon fiber or brushed aluminum interior trim, and logo-bearing floormats and key fobs.

“The Thunderbolt still has the original suspension, and you can still use it as a truck if you want to,” Yachnin said. “We did not decrease the load-carrying capacity of the vehicle at all. We give you styling with it, and we give you load-carrying capacity with it. It looks neat; it goes fast.”

I can attest to the “goes fast” claim, having driven Thunderbolt prototypes on SLP’s gymkhana course. The 15-hp increase afforded by the optional induction and exhaust systems may seem negligible on paper, but consider the math: On top of the 4.0-liter Ford V-6’s stock output of 207 hp, the 15 hp represents a 7.3 percent boost — more significant than the 5-hp increase in the SLP-derived Pontiac Firebird GT and Chevy Camaro RS, which amounts to 2.5 percent.

I never was very good at math, so fortunately SLP had a stock Ford Ranger XLT 4x2 Super Cab on hand for comparison. Big difference. Some of the guests underscored this difference by doing burnouts upon launching into the course. See the video (Windows Media or RealVideo).

Though SLP is dedicated to maintaining the utility of the current suspension, the prototypes were outfitted with a larger stabilizer bar in the front and another on the rear suspension where Ford does not offer one. Reg Harris, SLP’s marketing director, says the feature may be added to the Thunderbolt package when it goes on sale, though it’s not known if it would be included in the base package or offered as an option.

The stabilizer upgrades did help tame body roll somewhat. The Thunderbolt is still a truck, but the performance upgrades are a clear improvement over the stock Ranger.

“We have a little more validation testing to do,” Harris said. “Once that validation testing is completed, Ford will take a look at it. We’re assuming we’ll get the green light. Then we’re looking at Job One [Ford’s term for beginning production] sometime in August or September.

“The Ranger is a perennial best seller in its segment, and that’s a huge, huge segment,” Harris added. “We believe there’s a great market, though, for a performance-based variant that’s got the looks, that goes, that handles and, most important, is very affordable.”

Of the roughly 325,000 Rangers that Ford sells in a year, SLP expects to transform 3,500 to 5,000 into Thunderbolts for 2002.

[Admin]

It's really too bad SLP didn't soop this car up a little more. I would of liked to see a supercharger on it or something. I'm not big on the thunderbolt on the side, but the rest of the truck is pritty sweet. I don't mind the spoiler, little big but it's ok. The front looks really good, I like the hood. The tips and bumper on the back fit in with the truck pritty well also. I've never seen one of these on the raod, has anyone else? I think there were only a few thousand produced between the years 02-03.

[FirebirdGirl02]

I have never seen one before and we see alot around here in Metro Detroit. I agree with ya to bad thay are not doing this anymore.

[karakusars]

Hello. And Bye. Sex love for allr. Very sory from poland . Sex

[karakusars]

Hello. And Bye. lovedff for allgdr. Very sory from poland . eyryer dfsrg ffggs

[karakusars]

Hello. And Bye. lovedff for allgdr. Very sory from poland . eyryer dfsrg ffggs

[vasedor]

Reminds me of those old days for sure. These cars used to be seen while I was on way to my school and there are so many memories associated during that period. My present occupation also happens to be in the automobile industry and we take the aid of technology to design new models I came here to get some new ideas about them instead was taken back in time. An exception which I hardly mind though.

[sztin10]

you can read free manga Gantz onlinehttp://www.MaxManga.comabove 4000 hot free mangas onlineGantz 276 Gantz 277 Gantz 278 Gantz 279