All previous-generation models – Syclone, 454 SS, SVT Lightning – were true street trucks that featured extensive enhancements for improved handling and also adhered to the long-standing tradition of equipping a powerful engine – 240-hp 5.8-liter V8 with a heavy-duty transmission for SVT Lightning, 454ci or 7.4-liter V8 with 230 hp for 454 SS. However, they remained lightweight and agile.
In present times, the representatives of high-performance trucks are Ram’s 1500 TRX, fitted with the 702-hp 6.2-liter supercharged Hemi V8, which will be retired after the 2024 model year of production; and the Ford F-150 Raptor and Raptor R powered by a 450-hp EcoBoost V6 or the impressive 5.2-liter supercharged V8 generating 700 hp or 720 ponies after the 2024MY’s facelift. However, both series prioritize off-road capabilities above all else.
If you desire a capable street truck, you are left stranded in the realm of electric vehicles with Tesla’s Cybertruck – their Cyberbeast variant boasts 845 horsepower and only requires one modification to become the Cyberpunk street truck of your dreams after swapping the all-terrain tires for sticky summer rubber. So, as you can see, the options are limited – and it is truly disappointing that there is no news regarding Toyota’s SEMA Show Tacoma X-Runner V6-swapped concept entering production.
However, do not fret, as the imaginative world of digital car content creators comes to the rescue once again. Specifically, Jim, the virtual artist known as jlord8 on social media, enjoys experimenting with all things CGI from GM and Ford, and occasionally even stages battles between them with South Park characters in attendance. This pixel master, after working on projects such as a Chrysler Halcyon Wagon, a Lincoln Town Car revival, or a modern Chevy Monte Carlo SS, has returned to dreaming about cool pickup trucks.
Thus, they have created a quick CGI video to gather their fans’ opinions about the potential clash of titans if they were to bring the SVT Lightning and Chevy 454 SS into the mid-2020s. Of course, these virtual design projects are now based on the latest and greatest F-Series and Silverado, making them significantly larger than their original counterparts in the real world. Nonetheless, they faithfully follow the Single Cab short box recipe in CGI, complete with aerodynamic enhancements, a lowered stance, and classic alloy wheels.
Interestingly, while the Chevy Silverado 454 SS appears much more aggressive than the revived F-150 SVT Lightning, it seems that enthusiasts ultimately give the victory to the latter. Perhaps they have recognized that it is a ZL1 in disguise and houses a 650-hp V8 under the hood, whereas the F-150 could potentially borrow the 720-hp V8 from the Raptor?
According to the Source autoevolution.com