I'm not sure how many of you have read the latest story in Automotive News about Nick Scheele, COO of Ford Motor Co..

He says he wants to increase the popularity of the company's SVT high-performance brand. While my initial knee-jerk reaction is a double-drooling "GREAT!, more SVT-like vehicles on the road." It also makes me cringe that some of the mainstream engineers (read: NON-gearheads) will be working on this. It scares the bejesus out of me the products will become more plentiful, yes, but more watered down, preferring to hit a higher percentile of user, rather than cater to the enthusiast crowd. (OOH, that acceleration is too violent--tone it down so we can sell x more widgets.)

Many mainstream engineers are NOT car people and would be just as happy (happier?) designing toasters. If SVT is to continue to thrive and grow, ENTHUSIASTS must be the sentries at the gateposts. Some of the things Nick talks of are very encouraging (bringing hot overseas products over here). HEY BRING OVER THE SPORT UTE XR8 from OZ.

Anyways, I understand about cost targets, etc., but SVT has proven you can do it...mainstream programs have not (IMHO). As much as I love the Mustang (and I've owned several, and still own a 91 GT), the GT is 2nd fiddle compared to its F-body competition. Yes, I understand the F-body is going away (temporarily), etc., but performance-wise the GT was getting spanked daily.


Here's the link to the Automotive News story:
http://www.autonews.com/article.cms?articleId=39837

 

IMO, we've already seen the diminishment of SVT when the Focus was brought into the fold... While I haven't been in the SVT focus, I have been in a zx3 focus, and it reminded me of a 2002 version of an early 80's Escort GT

What's next.... the SVT Excursion / Supercell ?

 

Drive a svt focus and then say that.....You wont

I feel the ONLY car they screwed up on was the contour.Although a good car,no market for a wanna be BMW.

If SVT wasnt around,We all would be driving the something less for sure.WE ARE SOOOOOOOO LUCKY!

 

I read this at work today. My take on it was that he's wanting the engineers to get more in tune with what the customers want, especially us enthusiasts. He mentions how the Europeans design vehicles based upon the populations interests. Ford doesn't do that here. I see it as a good thing.

Ever since I've owned my L, I've always wondered why Ford didn't promote the SVT line of vehicles on TV. While because of limited production, not everyone would be able to get one, but it would bring people into the showroom and possibly buying another Ford product. SVT's will sell no matter if you promote or not, but if it gets people into the showroom, it's not money wasted.

As for the SVT Focus, I agree with Lightningquick. Drive one and you'll be amazed. Ford had to come out with this model though to compete with the imports.

Bob

 

Getting a little off topic, anyone know how much longer ford will be making the lightning, I mean I hope they keep goin forever but, well... can it?

 

As long as trucks sell...... yes.

As for the SVT Focus, look at the latest Autoweek. They reviewed the SVT Focus. They LOVED IT!!!! A couple of quotes: "SVT Focus is one of the best cars out there --- at any price." "If you test drive just one car this year, make it the Ford SVT Focus."

I would love to have one, and so would my wife. We are not exactly the target audience either (I'm 41, and she is 37). However, we may wait for next year, as they are supposed to release it in the 5-door version also (we have a 4-month old), and it would be much more family friendly.

As for the SVT Contour....... we would love to have one of those also. Still keep our eyes open for a low mileage example. Where else could you get BMW 3-series handling for the price of a Ford??? The cars downfall is that it was produced on a vehicle that Ford dumped.

The other one that the wife would really like to have would be an SVT Escape. We have already thought of getting her one or a Tribute and putting the Kenne Bell supercharger on it.

Ahhhhh, so many vehicle wants....... so little money.

 

Personally I think trying to sell performance on a family vehicle is a stupid idea, sure give them better brakes and handling but not try to promote the power, take inpoint the focus a bit more power but nothing outragous, but with better brakes and handling.

A few years back dodge had a prototype RT mini van - it would smoke its front tires off like crazy, but who would like to see a soccer mom with a load of kids doing that.

The windstars now have more horsepower than early mustangs had and the way people fly in them with a load of kids they have to be nuts, but i guess they are 5 star rated so that makes it ok.

Maybe in the U.S they have better regulations and harder driving test but here in Canada I feel most every vehicle has more power than what the owner can actually handle - 260 hp in a regular f150, the gen 1 lightning had less than that and it could actually handle and stop.

aka - svt for people who know how to drive, but not svt in a top heavy vehicle like expeditions, windstars,exploreres,etc

Bring back the sho for performance high number unit vehicles like tauras, the last sho tauras was problably the best except ford did not offer it with a manual trans, hey a nice tbird sho would also be good, don't was't svt name on high number vehicles wich can't live up to the name - focus sho would have been better and then ford could make more of them

SVT top, then SHO, and then regular models

just an opinion

 

SVT vehicles should be kept to limited production. Keep the special in SVT.

RT minivans huh. Theres enough soccor moms that drive like ****, all they need is more power. When i see a soccor mom in an expedition i cringe. This just isn't a sexist woman thing. Look out for the soccer dad's too. Expecially ones that drive these really tricked out pickups. Fancy wheels with ground effects, neat little exhaust pipe that come out the side too!!! I forget what they were called.

 

Drive a svt focus and then say that.....You wont

[SS] Oh yes I will... My 1200cc motorcycle puts out almost as much at the wheel as the SVT focus does at the crank...

I had a quad 4 Brand-X with 180 crank hp & more torque (IIRC), so I have some idea what the SVT Focus is like in terms of performance. And I've been in the Focus loaner car... Bleh

So, what should SVT do.... how about an all wheel driver ? Maybe even <gasp> A FOCUS

Or... A flex fuel and or Hybrid Lightning...

Not that I'm complaining that loudly, SVT vehicles do hold their value... And really, when you think about it, they've given us what we wanted & asked for - more power, IRS in the Cobra, hell, there wasn't that much of an upswell for the Gen 2 Lightning that I recall (I was a Cobra owner at the time)... We are fortunate...

 

I'll tell you this first hand. The powertrain engineers that I know at SVT(SVE) wouldn't be happy designing toasters. They are power nuts like the rest of us.

With the future of SVT performance in their hands and people like John Coletti at the helm, don't expect anything watered down.

But, that's just what I think...

 

How about an SVT Windstar? Ford had better do something to keep up with the Dodge Caravan Sport!

 

As long as SVT doesn't become a badge like RT. 11,000 Cobra's projected this year. That's a lot for a limited production vehicle. Actually, I don't think you can consider them limited anymore.

 

"Limited Production" may not be accurate. Ford refers to the 03 Cobra as a "production Mustang". I haven't heard that they will be stopping at a specified #. I could be wrong.

Hey, as long as anything with an SVT badge has a supercharger, I'm satisfied.


Rich

 

it would be fun do drop a cobra motor [new 390hp] into a minivan and see what it could do

 

Ummmmmm ... "LIGHTNINGS??????" <LOL>