In the early years of the 21st century, concept cars were still an essential component of an automaker's portfolio. In 2001 alone, Ford debuted such memorable show cars as the retro-themed Forty-Nine, the Urban Explorer, the Explorer Sportsman, and the F150 Lightning Rod. None, however, was more audacious than Ford's shot across the Jeep Wrangler's bow, the go-anywhere EX off-roader. On March 16, the drivable-but-not-road-legal 2001 Ford EX Concept crosses the block in Phoenix, Arizona, part of Mecum's upcoming four-day sale.
Though today Ford identifies as a "mobility company" instead of an automaker, in 2001 Ford was trying to position itself as a lifestyle brand, offering products for young and old alike. The Forty-Nine concept channeled the styling of the old shoebox Fords with a hot-rod twist and was clearly targeted to an older demographic. The wildly impractical EX, however, was aimed at a younger and more adventurous crowd, raised on energy drinks and adrenaline. In the words of J Mays, then Ford’s VP of Design, “The EX Concept is the farthest extension of the Outfitters family of SUVs yet. It is the most extreme of the Outfitters concept vehicles and was built to explore a unique lifestyle and cohort group.”
We’re not entirely sure what a “cohort group” is, but the EX wasn’t based on anything in Ford’s portfolio at the time. Instead of using an existing platform, the concept began life as a chrome moly steel tubing frame, one that included a stout, triangulated roll bar in its construction. Bodywork was minimal, consisting of a few composite panels attached to the frame with aluminum fasteners and a tinted windscreen that could be folded flat to the hood for flow-through ventilation.
Inside, the two seats were wrapped in waterproof and UV-resistant fabric, an important point since the EX carried no roof. Without doors, air conditioning was pointless, and with side exit exhausts and no windows, an audio system would have been frivolous as well. Perhaps the sole amenity was the tilt-away steering column (which also carried the EX’s instruments), permitting easier entry and exit.
Safety features included four-point harnesses for driver and passenger, as well as air bags for the both occupants. A fullsize spare tire was mounted behind the occupants, and a removable storage bin permitted the carrying of a few backpacks or other essentials. Driver and passenger both received a map pocket behind the side bodywork, and an additional bin below the instrument cluster provided a bit more space for small items.
What the EX did offer was performance, and lots of it. In a time when many concepts had to be pushed on stage, Ford’s corporate dune buggy sported a fully functional powertrain, much of it donated from a Ford Explorer. Power came courtesy of a 4.0-liter V-6, enhanced with a supercharger and less restrictive exhausts, to produce 375 horsepower and 410 pound-feet of torque. Via a five-speed manual, torque was transferred to a transfer case from the Explorer's parts bin, then sent to front and rear differentials before going to ground courtesy of 17-inch five-spoke wheels shod with “experimental” 33-inch BFGoodrich off-road tires.
To optimize handling, Ford targeted a 50/50 front-to-rear weight distribution. Engine and transmission were up front, while the transfer case and oversize aluminum radiator were mounted out back. The EX served up 12 inches of suspension travel, and CNC-machined aluminum A-arms were damped with a pair of remote reservoir coilover shocks on each wheel. Disc brakes were mounted in all four corners, with rotors large enough to fill the wheel centers.
It’s unlikely that the EX was ever a serious candidate for production, and officially it was built for display purposes and to gauge the public’s reaction to design elements used in its construction. Before the concept was sold by Ford at auction in 2010, the company’s lawyers insisted on the following disclaimer plate, now permanently affixed in the engine bay:
NOTICE: This Lot was designed and built only for display purposes and to gauge public reaction to various design elements. Despite its appearance, it has not been engineered to be driven on public roads nor has it been certified as meeting any U.S. federal or state regulations, including NHTSA or EPA regulations, or any other governmental regulations of the country where this Lot may be located which are applicable to motor vehicles. This property was not built to meet any state or local regulations that would allow it to be registered and licensed as a motor vehicle for use on public roads and such use may violate applicable laws and regulations including those relating to emission requirements and motor vehicle safety standards. Any entity or individual purchasing this Lot that may wish to use it on public roads is solely responsible for performing any required modifications and obtaining all applicable government certifications. This Lot should not be left unattended with its electrical systems operating for extended periods of time."
When the EX went on display at the 2001 North American International Auto Show, the concept was finished in silver. By 2004, when it appeared in the film Thunderbirds, the bodywork was refinished in the metallic copper-red it wears today. Since its initial sale in 2010 (for $93,500), the buggy has crossed the block in 2014 (selling for $96,250) and in 2017 (selling for $110,000), and the consignor has reportedly spent more than $10,000 addressing mechanical issues and installing a new clutch.
The experimental VIN (and Ford’s engraved disclaimer) may be the biggest stumbling block to ownership. Since the EX can’t be registered (or perhaps more accurately, can’t easily be registered), it’s likely to appeal primarily to those with enough land to stretch the buggy’s legs from time to time, making Arizona a good place to stage its sale.
Mecum has not published a pre-auction estimate for this lot. For additional information on the Phoenix sale -- which runs from March 14-17 at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona -- visit Mecum.com.
UPDATE (18.March 2019): The Ford EX concept sold for a fee-inclusive $99,000.
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Boosted Powertrain
At the heart of this SVT Lightning is its iron-block 5.4-liter SOHC, 16-valve V8 with a supercharger and an intercooler. The blower helped it deliver 380 horsepower and 450 lb-ft of torque in 2001, up some 20 horsepower and 10 lb-ft from the ’99 and 2000 models. The Eaton supercharged engine delivered peak boost of 8.0 psi and the engine featured an 8.4:1 static compression ratio, down from the standard 5.4 V8’s 9.0:1, which was rated at 260 horsepower and 350 lb-ft.
Power reached the rear 18-inch cast aluminum-alloy wheels via a four-speed automatic, an aluminum driveshaft and a beefy 9.75-inch, limited-slip rear axle with an acceleration-friendly 3.73:1 final-drive ratio, another upgrade for 2001. Car and Driver magazine reported a 0-60 mph time of 5.2 seconds and a quarter-mile in an E.T. of 13.8 seconds at 104 mph—impressive numbers for a 4,600-pound truck. Top speed was a drag-limited 142 mph.
A Truly Sporting Truck
Trucks generally require a suspension that can handle a full load in its bed while also providing competent driving while empty. But if you fancy one designed to a sports-car standard, then something has to give. In the case of the second-gen Lightning, Ford dropped its payload capacity to a mere 800 pounds. A standard 2001 F-150 Styleside carried a 3,180-pound payload rating, while an F-150 Flareside was rated at 2,005 pounds, some two-and-a-half times the Lightning, which featured the short-bed Flareside body. Towing capacity, likewise, was reduced from 8,800 pounds to 5,000 in the Lightning. But the Lightning’s strengths were never its payload or towing capacities, but it’s ability to perform like a sports car.
As a 21st century performance vehicle, however, the second-gen Lightning was also equipped to handle. A half-inch drop at the front was accompanied by SVT-specific coil springs and Bilstein shocks along with an exclusive 31-mm solid anti-roll bar. SVT’s influence continued at the rear with Lightning-specific five-leaf springs and a 23-mm solid anti-roll bar. The Bilstein setup at the rear included the right-rear shock staggered toward the front of the truck to reduce axle hop under heavy acceleration. The four-wheel antilock disc brakes were cribbed from the three-quarter-ton F-250, with 12.1-inch front rotors at the front and 13.1-inch discs at the rear.
As the years go on, fewer and fewer clean, unmolested low-mileage examples are out there, which is why this 2001 Ford SVT F150 Lightning now on Hemmings Auctions caught our attention. Showing just 5,525.5 miles on its odometer at the time of submission, it is said to be in “mint” condition and have an “immaculate” finish in the seller’s words. No modifications are noted to any part of the vehicle. The 18-inch factory alloys don’t appear to have any curb rash, though the Goodyear performance tires may be original. About the only deviations from stock are the tinted windows.
The latest electric-only F-150 Lightning is certainly a quick vehicle in its own right, but this 2001 edition from the engineers at SVT was built for excitement, not range. It was made with an old-school muscle-car vibe along with modern handling and braking. Which Lightning would you look good behind the wheel of?
Take a look at this second-gen Lightning on Hemmings Auctions before the bidding ends.
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