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"Ford to drop SVT Focus, suspend performance lineup" as seen: http://www.detnews.com/2003/autosinsider/0311/23/b02-332341.htm Quote:
DEARBORN -- Ford Motor Co. is killing its high performance SVT Focus coupe next year and suspending production of the entire Special Vehicle Team lineup for the 2005 model year, the company said Friday.
"It will hurt us," said Dean Sellers, general manager of Dean Sellers Ford in Troy. "But it won't be devastating."
Ford's next scheduled model year for SVT products will be 2006. But its lineup - the Mustang Cobra and F-150 Lightning - will be based on new platforms and offer increased levels of performance.
John Coletti, SVT's chief engineer, said the 2006 Lightning will be powered by an engine similar to the one featured in the 500-horsepower Ford GT, which debuts next year.
Other possibilities include supercharged versions of the Mercury Marauder and Lincoln Navigator, a Mustang with a V-10 and a turbocharged Focus.
In 2005, Ford plans to introduce the Focus ST, which stands for street tuned. It offers slightly less horsepower than the SVT Focus -- 155 compared with 170. But it will have more torque and likely cost less.
Angelo Giordimaina, general sales manager of McLaughlin Ford in Royal Oak, said lease and insurance rates on the SVT Focus were alienating some buyers.
Since its introduction as a 2002 model, about 4,500 units a year have been sold. Tom Scarpello, SVT marketing and sales manager, hinted Ford expected more.
"Did it meet all its objectives? No," Scarpello said. "But the majority of them."
Since the first Cobra debuted in 1993, Ford has sold more than 135,000 SVT products.
You can reach Staff Writer Eric Mayne at emayne@detnews.com.
no idea how to take this....wonder if they should have ran that SVT commercial some more?
2000 Black Contour SVT
Western/Central Massachusetts
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dammit! whatabout the 04 lightning...  
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Originally posted by luvinmycontour:
dammit! whatabout the 04 lightning...
What about it? It should be on sell now or very soon. Now there won't be a 05 Lightning but there will be an all-new 06 Lightning. So what's the problem?
98.5 SVT
91 Escort GT (almost sold)
96 ATX Zetec (i brake to watch you swerve)
FS: SVT rear sway bar
WTB: Very cheap beater
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oh nothing...ok NM...lol i was thinking they were dropping it starting with the 04 model year and picking it back up in 06. 
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Originally posted by luvinmycontour:
dammit! whatabout the 04 lightning...
As I understand it, there never was an 04 Lightning in the plans. They were going to wait a year with the new F150 platform before doing the next generation Lightning. This article makes it sound like it will be two years instead of one without a Lightning.
Jim Johnson
98 SVT
03 Escape Limited
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Quote:
no idea how to take this....wonder if they should have ran that SVT commercial some more?
No matter how good the commercial is/was, no matter how many times you run it, as long as you keep following it with the other Focus commercial where the guys parents steal his car to drive it, your car will never get any respect.
What teenager wants to drive a car his parents would like?
2003 Mazda6s 3.0L MTX
Webpage
2004 Mazda3s 2.3L ATX
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http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=1120537 Here is more info: Quote:
SVT PROGRAM UPDATE
Purpose
The following information is being provided to help dealers plan their 2004MY (model year) SVT sales strategies.
Background
The recent introduction of the new F-150 and the upcoming replacement of the Mustang have generated inquiries from customers and dealers regarding plans for SVT derivatives of these new models.
SVT Product Cycle Plan
2004MY will be the last year of production for the current generation of SVT products, including the Cobra, Lightning and SVT Focus. 2004MY production of all three products will end during the second quarter of the 2004 calendar year. There will be no 2005MY versions of the Cobra, Lightning or SVT Focus. The rollout of the next generation SVT Mustang Cobra and SVT F-150 Lightning will begin with the 2006MY. At this time there are no plans to introduce a replacement for the SVT Focus. Information on the 2006MY SVT products will be released at a later date.
SVT Dealer Program
Although there will be no SVT vehicles produced for the 2005MY, the SVT dealer program will be in place and operational to meet service and other needs of current SVT customers. Dealers will continue to receive SVT support, including the SVT InfoCenter (1-800-FORD-SVT), http://www.svt.ford.com and merchandising materials. The SVT Premium Service program and the SVT Owners Association will remain operational, and SVT will continue to maintain a presence at enthusiast events. Information on dealer enrollment for the 2006 MY SVT program will be communicated at a later date.
Standard Launch Timing
The SVT versions of the next generation products are on a standard development and launch timing planā??they have not been delayed. The actual timing of SVT derivatives is driven by the timing of the vehicle programs on which they are based. The timing of the 2006MY SVT products is consistent with past practice.
Future SVT Programs
The level of unique engineering and content in SVT vehicles has been increasing virtually every year since SVT was created. Indeed, the change to new platforms and assembly facilities for the new F-150 and Mustang will make these programs the largest and most complex in SVT's history. However, these outstanding new platforms will provide the opportunity to enhance not only the performance, but also the quality, craftsmanship, and overall refinement of the SVT product lineup. This, along with the unique expertise SVT has developed in over ten years of operation, will ensure the next generation of SVT products will be the most exciting ever, and will continue to dominate the performance landscape for many years to come.
We encourage you to share this information with your sales and service teams and with your SVT customers. If you have any questions, please contact the SVT InfoCenter at 1-800-367-3788 (1-800-FORD-SVT). However, please remember that that we are unable to release any information on 2006MY SVT products at this time.
I think if they publicized the entire SVT line then it might be good or at least better than currently.
2000 Black Contour SVT
Western/Central Massachusetts
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Sounds to me like SVT is taking a year off, maybe to start work on the next generation of cars that they are introducing to the US. It makes sense for the Lightning and Cobra too. It wouldnt be too good an idea to offer performance upgrades to platforms that havent been tried and tested for at least a year. If they do what I think they are doing, like maybe introducing SVT versions of cars like the Futura, Ford 500, Mustang, F-150, etc in 2006, that will have given them a year to get all these models down for one hell of a release party come 2006. But then again theres also the possibility that they arent selling well and are doing this to save money for FoMoCo. I hope its my first interpretation, cause if its the second, theres a good chance they will never come back! -Nick
"Moore has also accused the American people of being the stupidest, most naive people on the face of the Earth. And after last weekend, he's got the box office numbers to prove it!"
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Originally posted by 99blacksesport:
I hope its my first interpretation, cause if its the second, theres a good chance they will never come back! -Nick
The article clearly states they'll be back in 06.
98.5 SVT
91 Escort GT (almost sold)
96 ATX Zetec (i brake to watch you swerve)
FS: SVT rear sway bar
WTB: Very cheap beater
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Originally posted by sigma:
Quote:
no idea how to take this....wonder if they should have ran that SVT commercial some more?
No matter how good the commercial is/was, no matter how many times you run it, as long as you keep following it with the other Focus commercial where the guys parents steal his car to drive it, your car will never get any respect.
What teenager wants to drive a car his parents would like?
um let me say i am 17 and i don't like to drive my dad's car... i LOVE to drive it  it is a 2002 corvette z06
ok first some backround
my dad is a quality control person at fords chicago stamping plant(for the record if u want to get mad at him go for his boss's, he points out problems and they do nothing)
one dad ford takes the display cars off the racks next to the big ford emblem infront of the plant and my dad parks his vette on it. and woundn't uy know it his boss gives him crap about it.
ford also loves to give him crap about driving a chevy product and my dad simply tells him he has owned a cobra it was fun but not as much as the vette
sry for the long post it is just one of the funny ford stories i got, and i am not putting down fords i am about to be the proud owner of a 98 contour svt
98 contour svt
#6473 of 6535
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