Just this past June, we saw a 2003 Ford Ranger Thunderbolt pop up for auction at Mecum’s 2025 Florida Summer Special Sale, which is certainly something that we don’t see very often. The third-party modified pickup wound up selling at that event, but it seems as if the new owner is already looking to part ways with it again – perhaps they weren’t a huge fan of the truck, had some buyer’s remorse, or maybe they’re even trying to make a quick buck. Regardless, someone else now has the chance to bring home this unique Ford Ranger Thunderbolt.
This time, the pickup is set to be auctioned off at Mecum’s Indy Fall Special sale in early October. It’s the product of a company called SLP Engineering, which wanted to create its own road-going, sporty version of the Ranger, and they did precisely that with the Thunderbolt. It added a host of exterior upgrades, for starters, such as a hood scoop, a monochromatic front grille and fascia, bodyside cladding, Thunderbolt badges, and chrome exhaust tips.
On top of that, one could also opt for a series of graphics and faux carbon fiber trim, a hard tonneau cover, a rear wing, and various other goodies. The Ford Ranger Thunderbolt could be had with either the 3.0L V6 or 4.0L V6, which in this case consists of the latter. SLP enhanced that engine with a catback exhaust, plus an air box and filter, which added around 15 horsepower to bring that figure up to 222, though torque remained unchanged at 238 pound-feet. Regardless, that was enough to propel the more potent Ford Ranger Thunderbolt from 0-60 in around 6.5 seconds.
Underneath, SLP gave the Ford Ranger Thunderbolt a pair of stabilizer bars at both ends, which help keep it flatter in the corners, while fancy 15-inch alloy wheels could be had as an option, if so desired.
This package originally cost $1,500 to start, capping out at around $3,000 if one checked all the boxes, but in today’s world, we rarely see a Thunderbolt in any guise or condition – making this one a pretty compelling target.
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