When the electric Ford F-150 Lightning debuted a couple years ago, we opined that it was a missed opportunity for the Blue Oval to create a high-performance sport truck à la the original F-150 SVT Lightning. Now it looks like Ford will correct that perceived misstep with a street-performance version of the soon-to-be-refreshed 2024 F-150. Of course, that’s if a report published last Saturday by Ford Authority turns out to be true.
Introducing the F-150 Lobo
For those who don’t know, the Ford F-150 is known as the Lobo in Mexico, where the half-ton pickup truck has used that moniker since the 1990s. With the Lightning name now attached to the F-150 EV, Ford can’t simply slap that onto a hi-po version of its gas- and hybrid-powered trucks without creating a marketing nightmare and confusing the heck out of people. Instead, the company will reportedly bring the Lobo name to the U.S. market.
Ford Performance recently released a rowdy supercharger package for the F-150 that pairs the truck’s available 5.0-liter V-8 with a 3.0-liter Whipple supercharger to generate a combined 700 horsepower. While we don’t expect the F-150 Lobo to have that much power out of the box—although it’d be sweet if it’s compatible with that package—Ford Authority’s sources claim the sport truck will have a lowered ride height and a unique appearance.
While powertrain details weren’t mentioned in the report, it sounds like the Lobo variant will be similar to the off-road-oriented Tremor treatment, which is a standalone model that’s currently offered on most Ford pickup trucks, from the compact Maverick to the full-size F-150 to the HD Super Duty.
With the refreshed F-150 set to debut at the Detroit auto show in the coming weeks, we should find out soon if Ford is reviving a hi-po pickup truck like the OG SVT Lightning or if we just got all excited for nothing. Stay tuned.
Senior Editor
Eric Stafford’s automobile addiction began before he could walk, and it has fueled his passion to write news, reviews, and more for Car and Driver since 2016. His aspiration growing up was to become a millionaire with a Jay Leno–like car collection. Apparently, getting rich is harder than social-media influencers make it seem, so he avoided financial success entirely to become an automotive journalist and drive new cars for a living. After earning a journalism degree at Central Michigan University and working at a daily newspaper, the years of basically burning money on failed project cars and lemon-flavored jalopies finally paid off when Car and Driver hired him. His garage currently includes a 2010 Acura RDX, a manual ’97 Chevy Camaro Z/28, and a ’90 Honda CRX Si.
