More, however, reported encounters with high-pressure ignoramuses and back shops so indifferent that hostility would be an improvement. On the latter point, some owners told stories of sophisticated sales reps and customer-first service departments. These roots betray the SVT's leather-lined pretensions, becoming evident in trim that falls off, a stereo system that is almost universally reviled (and replaced), and dependence on a network of dealer sales and service departments that can be maddeningly spotty. Let us fuel their passion: The SVT Contour is a fierce wolf clad in fuzzy wool, a Goliath performer at a David price, the scrawny kid who yanks the sword out of the stone.Īs with a mythic hero, though, the SVT's greatest strength-performance for value-is the flip side of its downfall: It is based on a cost-is-the-primary-object family sedan. They will need one another if, as seems likely, the Contour leaves the U.S. They're gathering on the internet already (start at bemoaning the wider world's lack of appreciation for the one true affordable sports sedan. They decipher runes in search of the button you push to get companies that make six million cars a year to spit out a handful like this one that inspires such passion. Like other cultists-those who still pledge loyalty to the Lotus Cortina, the Mini Cooper and the BRE-tuned Datsun 510, for example-SVT Contour owners cluster in support groups of self-affirmation, praising the mysterious motions of corporate spirit that allow the occasional real driver's car to escape into the world. It remains as one of longest-running, most-successful high-performance vehicle programs in American automotive history.SVT's version of the Ford Contour is a hot little slingshot that has inspired a fervid cult of enthusiasts. And SVT has always been dedicated to value, delivering products that offer the highest level of performance and driving dynamics for the money. SVT exclusivity comes from low-volume, limited-production products designed for enthusiast owners. Substance means driving character that is built in, not added on. To the engineers at SVT, performance means increased power, supple yet confident road manners, and balance among engine, suspension and braking systems. The core values of Ford SVT were established as Performance, Substance, Exclusivity and Value. Since that time more than seven different SVT vehicles have been produced, including several versions of the Cobra (both coupe and convertible) and the Shelby GT500, the F-150 Lightning performance pickup and Raptor off-road versions, the SVT Contour sports sedan, plus both three- and five-door versions of the SVT Focus – as well as special SVT Mustang Cobra 'R' models in 1993, ', plus the Ford GT supercar in 2005-06. The official launch of Ford SVT came during the 1992 Chicago Auto Show with the unveiling of the 1993 SVT Mustang Cobra and SVT F-150 Lightning. Once the team was assembled, SVT was charged to develop and market factory high-performance "halo" vehicles that would add luster to the company's lineup – or "Polish the Ford Oval." To that end, the team focused on creating limited-production cars and trucks with balanced performance attributes – vehicles that stop as well as they accelerate, ride as well as they handle and, above all, are fun to drive. The idea was to assemble talented driving enthusiasts at Ford and some of its key suppliers into a small, cross-functional group of engineers, product planners and marketing professionals with a common mission: create vehicles to satisfy the unique desires of the knowledgeable driving enthusiast. The Ford Special Vehicle Team (SVT) was conceived in 1991, when Ford senior management recognized the corporate advantages of investigating niche vehicle market opportunities.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |