Ford to drop SVT Focus, put entire SVT lineup on hiatus
 

15:45:03 March 02, 2004)
Ford to drop SVT Focus, put entire SVT lineup on hiatus


By RICK KRANZ | Automotive News

DETROIT -- Ford Division, planning to take the SVT performance brand to a more premium position, will drop the SVT Focus after the 2004 model year, the company says.

Dropping the car is part of an overhaul of the SVT lineup. No SVT models, including the SVT F-150 Lightning and the SVT Mustang Cobra, will be produced for about 18 months starting in the spring.

Ford will still sell a performance Focus, called the Focus ST, a four-door sedan. That car will debut in the 2005 model year.



http://www.autoweek.com/cat_content...._code=04276850

They are probably going to re-design the SVT's. They were a lot more money for what they were offering. Plus, with all the vechicle design changes (Mustang & F-150) they need to redesign a new model for the SVT.

Still, an 18 month hiatus?

Not an unreasonable time for them to redesign things, it's Ford they'll come back better than ever. I'm glad they got rid of the SVT Focus it needed a little more HP and AWD then it would have been worth it. There have been rumors of the Focus being replaced with Futura from Europe

Given the new focus at Ford with regard to the Ford GT and the like, it doesn't surprise me that they've decided to do this. 18 months is reasonable for a reorganization.

they have already redesigned the SVT F-150 Lightning, and it was badass, terrible time to drop SVT with the Dodge SRT-10 coming into town, could terrorize the F-150 Lightning's market.......Heres a pic of the new (well at least what they were going to sell) F-150 Lightning..........nearly 500 hp out of the 5.4L V8.........pretty great looking truck if you ask me, what do you guys think?

http://www.highresautoimages.com/160...ingconcept.jpg

http://www.highresautoimages.com/160...ngconcept2.jpg

http://www.highresautoimages.com/160...ngconcept4.jpg

http://www.highresautoimages.com/160...ngconcept3.jpg

Excellent point about timing, Dodge has a good chance of cleaning up with the SRT-10 if there's no new Lightning to compete.
General question about the SVT Focus. I was at Carmax last year looking at another car, but asked about the SVT Focus, and the guy said sure it has a lot of power, but the little body isn't enough to contain it and in his opinion is potentially very dangerous. I haven't heard a significant amount of talk about how unsafe they are. How right do you think he is?

blah, I don't put much stock in that theory.

You're talking about 170 HP and 145 lb/ft of torque. There are a lot of cars smaller than that taking a lot more power than that.

Maybe they might rename it to SVO again :)

SVO, SVT, whatever they call it, it was terrible timing to do this, with both the release of the SRT-10 and the New Mustang, which needs a high performance SVT model to run with the big boys..........Ford pulls off a genius move again:lol: