Watch Out For The Ford Performance Group !
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Watch Out For The Ford Performance Group !
Finally Ford is getting back to there grass roots. 
Tune up: Ford merges SVT, Motorsports and Performance Parts
Yes, Mr. Ford, you can teach an old dog new tricks.
Ford Motor Co. is revamping its performance activities—Special Vehicle Team, Ford Racing Technology and its Vehicle Personalization performance parts division—into a single entity called Ford Performance Group.
If this sounds familiar, you’re right. Ford has grown weary of watching its competitors—specifically General Motors and its GM Performance Division, and Chrysler with its Performance Vehicle Operations—steal the spotlight while Ford’s factory-tuned performance operations toil away in relative anonymity.
“The difference between Ford and the competition is that Ford has more than 100,000 SVT vehicles already on the street, and will sell 125,000 feature vehicles in 2002 along with a full line of factory-backed performance accessories,” said Zevalkink, who will report to Ford vice president Jim O’Connor. “And you can expect to hear more very soon.”
Ford did recognize a need to “take it to a new level,” O’Connor said, fueled in part by a need to market the growing stable of SVT and Living Legends vehicles, such as the coming GT40 sports car. Ford also hopes the group will re-energize its car lineup while expanding performance truck and sport/utility offerings.
O’Connor said SVT, racing and parts have shared resources in the past, but the merger will help all three move faster to market and become more profitable.
Tune up: Ford merges SVT, Motorsports and Performance Parts
Yes, Mr. Ford, you can teach an old dog new tricks.
Ford Motor Co. is revamping its performance activities—Special Vehicle Team, Ford Racing Technology and its Vehicle Personalization performance parts division—into a single entity called Ford Performance Group.
If this sounds familiar, you’re right. Ford has grown weary of watching its competitors—specifically General Motors and its GM Performance Division, and Chrysler with its Performance Vehicle Operations—steal the spotlight while Ford’s factory-tuned performance operations toil away in relative anonymity.
“The difference between Ford and the competition is that Ford has more than 100,000 SVT vehicles already on the street, and will sell 125,000 feature vehicles in 2002 along with a full line of factory-backed performance accessories,” said Zevalkink, who will report to Ford vice president Jim O’Connor. “And you can expect to hear more very soon.”
Ford did recognize a need to “take it to a new level,” O’Connor said, fueled in part by a need to market the growing stable of SVT and Living Legends vehicles, such as the coming GT40 sports car. Ford also hopes the group will re-energize its car lineup while expanding performance truck and sport/utility offerings.
O’Connor said SVT, racing and parts have shared resources in the past, but the merger will help all three move faster to market and become more profitable.
