Ford sets a 5-model limit for SVT.
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Ford sets a 5-model limit for SVT.
All sounds good to me. I have heard of some 300+ h.p. supercharged Duratech motors are in testing for the SVT Fusion ! That would be bad ass.
So what do you guys think ?
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Ford Motor Co.'s performance group is bigger and better-funded than ever, says Ford product chief Phil Martens.
Despite a two-year drought that won't see an SVT-branded vehicle on the market until mid-2006, Ford has expanded its Special Vehicle Team to at least 200 people, Martens says. It previously employed around 120 people.
Today's SVT budget also is higher than it has been in the past, he says. Martens wouldn't disclose the investment in SVT or the percentage increase to the budget.
Ford has benchmarked competitors such as BMW's M-series performance group while rebuilding SVT.
Ford also discontinued its SVT Focus last year, saying it wasn't upscale enough. Martens more recently has said Ford will take another look at an SVT Focus. Longtime SVT leader John Coletti retired in December and was replaced by Hau Thai-Tang, chief engineer of the 2005 Mustang.
Martens says Ford eventually will have up to five SVT-branded vehicles at any one time. The first, the 2007 Shelby Cobra GT500, will go on sale next summer. That 450-plus-hp coupe is the first special edition of the redesigned Mustang. Ford will follow with the Ford Sport Trac Adrenalin in 2007.
Prices for SVT products will range from less than $20,000 to more than $40,000, Martens says. The GT500 will cost about $40,000.
In addition to natural candidates such as the redesigned Mustang, Ford intends to spread a performance element across the broader Ford brand, Martens says. SVT-badged products will be restricted to Ford Division, but SVT engineers are likely to help develop vehicles for other corporate brands.
Martens won't say what other nameplates are on the SVT list, but likely candidates are the Fusion sedan, debuting this fall, and the Focus. SVT was developing an F-150 Lightning until that project was put on hold last year.
Martens wouldn't say how soon SVT will reach the five-vehicle limit.
So what do you guys think ?
__________________________________________________ ____________
Ford Motor Co.'s performance group is bigger and better-funded than ever, says Ford product chief Phil Martens.
Despite a two-year drought that won't see an SVT-branded vehicle on the market until mid-2006, Ford has expanded its Special Vehicle Team to at least 200 people, Martens says. It previously employed around 120 people.
Today's SVT budget also is higher than it has been in the past, he says. Martens wouldn't disclose the investment in SVT or the percentage increase to the budget.
Ford has benchmarked competitors such as BMW's M-series performance group while rebuilding SVT.
Ford also discontinued its SVT Focus last year, saying it wasn't upscale enough. Martens more recently has said Ford will take another look at an SVT Focus. Longtime SVT leader John Coletti retired in December and was replaced by Hau Thai-Tang, chief engineer of the 2005 Mustang.
Martens says Ford eventually will have up to five SVT-branded vehicles at any one time. The first, the 2007 Shelby Cobra GT500, will go on sale next summer. That 450-plus-hp coupe is the first special edition of the redesigned Mustang. Ford will follow with the Ford Sport Trac Adrenalin in 2007.
Prices for SVT products will range from less than $20,000 to more than $40,000, Martens says. The GT500 will cost about $40,000.
In addition to natural candidates such as the redesigned Mustang, Ford intends to spread a performance element across the broader Ford brand, Martens says. SVT-badged products will be restricted to Ford Division, but SVT engineers are likely to help develop vehicles for other corporate brands.
Martens won't say what other nameplates are on the SVT list, but likely candidates are the Fusion sedan, debuting this fall, and the Focus. SVT was developing an F-150 Lightning until that project was put on hold last year.
Martens wouldn't say how soon SVT will reach the five-vehicle limit.
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i think ford needs to bring the Turbo 6 from australia over into the focus ... now THAT would be a SVT Focus worth having.. make it rwd and 6 speed .. give it the turbo 6 (320 hp stock) and make it less than $25k and you'l OWN the sport compact arena.
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A little off topic: I was talking to the domestic car sales guy at a PX in Baghdad and he told me Ford gave AAFES (military) 2 Ford GT's last year and they were sold at sticker price. Could be a cool thing for DOD card holders. Can you say GT-500 @ msrp?
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Good to see SVT will be expanding its horizons into other ventures within Ford.
Hopefully the revamped SVT Focus will see something more impressive under the hood. I'm thinking they will look towards the turbo'd 2.3l Duratec in the upcoming Mazdaspeed 6. The current Focus already has the 2.0l & 2.3l Duratec...it would be very easy to carry over the Mazdaspeed goodies into the Focus.
Hopefully the revamped SVT Focus will see something more impressive under the hood. I'm thinking they will look towards the turbo'd 2.3l Duratec in the upcoming Mazdaspeed 6. The current Focus already has the 2.0l & 2.3l Duratec...it would be very easy to carry over the Mazdaspeed goodies into the Focus.
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Bombs over Baghdad...
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Originally Posted by allibabba
A little off topic: I was talking to the domestic car sales guy at a PX in Baghdad and he told me Ford gave AAFES (military) 2 Ford GT's last year and they were sold at sticker price. Could be a cool thing for DOD card holders. Can you say GT-500 @ msrp?
i never saw one in the AAFES catalog! lol
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Proud OIF/OEF Veteran and still serving
Proud OIF/OEF Veteran and still serving
