no_really

I have a feeling the demise of SVT has more to do with the desire to sell the high performance cars at every dealership. I'm sure there is a legal agreement with the SVT dealerships ensuring exclusive rights to sell "SVT" branded models. And I'm sure every non-SVT dealer has been yelling about being cut out of the market for those cars since day one. To keep from getting sued for selling the new GT500 at all dealerships, I'm sure Ford had to keep it from bearing the SVT badge, and it seemed logical at that point to simply dissolve the SVT group. As the GT500 is still coming out, I think we'll see another car or two with the Shelby name, and models bearing some other designation such as SVO or something to separate the limited production high performance cars from the regular production vehicles. I doubt the end of SVT will mean the end of SVT-type vehicles. IMHO.

The strange thing about the posted article is taht the recent pics of the GT500 bear no SVT logo anywhere I saw, yet the article seems to suggest they are there. Of course, it also seems to imply the car is currently on the market, so whatever, I guess.

C U AT 9K

is this part of fords plan to pump up the volume and try to get back into business??

Clayman

That's kinda sad to see. I liked a lot of the SVT cars and trucks. I'm sure they had their reasons. Hopefully, this will free up some resources to get back into the swing of things.

jshimer23

I loved my Contour SVT. It was a blast to drive. It's very sad to see SVT go but it's been a long time comming. Once John Coletti left things really started to fall apart for them.

rockville

At some point I thought there was a difference between SVO and SVT. I thought SVT was the marketing group while SVO was the actual engineering group. Or something like that. Maybe a true SVT fan can give us more detail.

jshimer23

I believe SVO was formed back in the 80's and in 84 they released the SVO mustang. It was a special version of the turbo 4 cyl they already offered. It had bigger wheels, disc breaks, intercooled, and some exterior mods. They lasted until 86 and then the updated Fox Body stangs came around.

SVTs came out in 93 and were a completely different project then the SVO. As stated, SVO was dead back in 86.

The SVO name was brought back and tossed around when the gt 500 was first announced (as SVT was all but officially dead). I haven't stayed current with the current stangs so others i'm not sure what the current status is.

S2kracka

Hahaha, a small group of Ford vehicles that actually had a decent following so they axed it. Makes sense to me.

I don't get it, these companies should realize how popular Dodge's SRT line is doing and also try capitalizing on that market segment.

rockville

I hope they bring it back. SVT had a nice ring. Every SVT'ed car I drove was something special (never drove the truck). I really miss my Contour SVT.

S2kracka

I drive a regular Contour LX right now as my winter-beater, and let me tell you, this has to be the biggest POS ever to come out of America (or Mexico, or wherever this thing was made). I should go find a used Contour SVT and testdrive it just to feel the difference because people never seem to say bad things about them.

brockLT1

shelby perforance vehicles>svt