Ford announced today that beginning with the GT500 release this summer all of Ford’s 3777 dealerships will be able to sell SVT products. Previously a dealership had to apply for the right to sell SVT vehicles, and only 600 dealers were given the honor of making SVT sales. The announcement by Ford to open up SVT sales had many wondering about the future of the SVT brand. Ford announced late last year that the SVT Lightning, based on the F150 truck, would be discontinued. SVT also dropped plans for the Sport Trac Adrenalin utility vehicle.
Ford says it’s not backing away from performance products, but insiders think Ford may be folding the SVT marketing team into the regular Ford brand team. Some also expect SVT’s engineering team may be diluted or tied more closely to Ford’s racing efforts.
Current SVT dealers are dissapointed. They believe that opening up SVT to all dealerships dilutes the brand and hurts their chances for success. Ultimately, they feel, it is the customer who loses out on the experience offered by the established SVT dealers.
Ford tried a similar approach when the SVT Focus was introduced several years ago. They offered 700 additional dealers the opportunity to sell just the SVT Focus. The full-line SVT dealers said this really diminished the cars popularity as it basically was percieved as a standard Focus with a few extra options.
Ford, admist their recent struggles to be profitable, believes expanding the SVT dealership network will help in overall Ford vehicle sales. SVT has never before been a apart of Ford’s national marketing efforts, perhaps because they felt people wouldn’t know where to go to find one. With SVT’s appearing on every dealer lot this wouldn’t be a problem.
(By the way, the photo is a spy shot of a pair of GT500’s in Vegas last year. More images here.)
i hope they make an SVT focus again in the future. if i were to get a new car again i would make it this one. i guess i’m just part of this new generation that likes to make mods to 4 bangers
By craker_jack_mod_focus. September 28th, 2006 at 8:23 pm1mach69 man you’re most definitely right … Ford were the leaders in performance vehicles now they have totally given that up to Chevy’s SS (though its not chatching on) and DMC’c SRT ..SVT FUsion (in coupe or sedan), SVT Adrenalin SPorttrac , SVT Mustang ( i guess thats the ShelbyGT500) and SVT F-150 .. wow wont that be a real line up? Now let me complete the lineup: SUbcompact Fiesta or the Festiva; Compact , Focus (of Europe of course); mid-size, Fusion (in 4-door, coupe and 5-door hatchback with I-4 and the new 3.5 engine) and keep the Taurus for fleet; Full-size or Large car, Five Hundred ( with 3.5 v6 as standard and the 4.6 300hp V8); Crown Victoria (axe the old engine and bring in the new 4.6 engine from mustang with 5-speed automatic), minivan, bigger Galaxy replacing the Freestar with the 3.5 engine; niche market, S-Max and Ford Fairlane; as for the SUVs just use the new 3.5 v6 as option to Escape and standard for Explorer, Freestyle and Edge with option of the 300 hp from Mustang; for fullsize suv they need to develop stronger engine than the 5.4 F-150 engine they need it as option for Expedition Eddie Bauer or Limited and standard for EL. FORD got the goods all they need is a good way all their assets in good use.
By tony. June 8th, 2006 at 9:53 pmI have an SVT Contour and waiting for SVT FUSION.CAN’T WAIT FOREVER THOUGH. I HAVE ONE THOUGHT ON THE MUSTANG.BORING.DOES FORD NOT HAVE THE ABILITY TO BEND STEEL.THE CREASE IN THE DOOR IS BARELY NOTICABLE ON THE CURRENT MUSTANG.CHECK THE OLD ONES DO HEADS.I’VE HAD TWO MUSTANG GT ‘S(89 & 94) I THINK YOU WERE ON THE RIGHT TRACK IN 94 BUT BLEW THE BACK END AND REAR FENDERS LOOKED TERRIBLE.CHALLENGER AND CAMARO ARE GOING TO EAT YOUR LUNCH.I HOPE THE MOST CONSERVATIVE GUY IN THE WORLD(FORD DESIGN HEAD)LOSES HIS JOB OVER THIS SO I CAN ONE DAY DRIVE ANOTHER FORD AS WELL ENGINEERED AS THE SVT CONTOUR.THE RATIOS ON THAT CAR ARE SPOT ON .AND GUESS WHAT?IT DOSEN’T LOOK LIKE A BOX.LAST CHANCE FORD.BRING US AN AFFORDIBLE CAR THAT WILL TURN HEADS OR DAIMLER CHRYSLER IS GOING TO PUT YOU OUT OF THE MIDSIZE AND PERFORMANCE CAR MARKET.AT LEAST YOU’LL HAVE THE 500 AND FOCUS.YEAH! OH YA YOU HAVE SOME TRUCKS TO0.
By Chevy. June 1st, 2006 at 1:30 pmFord need to start with the GT 500 mustangs and branch out to a performance version of the Ford 500, and Fusion , where both could get manual trannys and performance options V-6 ’s like the Grand Sport did in the 80’s, turbo’s blowers and intercoolers ect– You could get perfromance and increased mileage
Ford should do what Pontiac did in 1964 with the GTO in production, and image
Ford needs to restablish a total performance parts program again and Hire a guy who really can run a large complex program through all Ford dealerships, like they did in the 60’s when dealer installed options were availible on allot of cars — Tasca Ford 428 CJ in 68
By Woody. March 21st, 2006 at 5:29 pmCars like the BMW M-series, or AMG Mercedes are slightly exotic, and the stuff most teenage boys are dreaming about. Here, Ford had the means of creating its own M or AMG brand and they just piss it away. The exclusivity of SVT vehicles has always added to the appeal, and to be honest the new GT500 seems a little pedestrian.
By Ted. March 21st, 2006 at 12:05 pmI personally think that these insiders are wrong. These “insiders” have been wrong so many times in the last year its not even funny. The media just jumps at what ever they are told.
Here is a link that tells these “insiders” where to stick it.
SVT is being put in with TFR.
http://www.svtoa.com/
By WILDO. March 20th, 2006 at 4:01 pmWhile chevy makes an SS for everything they can, and Daimler Chysler makes an SRT for everything in sight, looks like ford is going to dwindle. I guess they want to make too many hybrid SUVs and other boring crap to shovel to people who don’t understand their batteries will die in a few years and they will have a wortless pile of junk and won’t have saved a dime.
By 19mach69. March 20th, 2006 at 3:30 pm