SVT may become dissolved?
 

Taken from Modularfords.com This was written by one of the top moderators there.
IMPORTANT: Bad Times at SVT But We Can Help

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I've just gotten some very important but disheartening information. With our economy being in a long-term recession and large corporate downsizing taking place all over America, it seems that the SVT division of Ford may be in trouble.

The information that I’ve gotten is from a very reliable but confidential source. Don’t bother asking questions because I can’t answer them beyond the information that I’m posting now.

The “bean counters” at Ford have recommended production cease with SVT. It starts with the new Lightning truck. There are rumors flying all over the net that the SVT Lightning is canceled indefinitely. Well, it’s not canceled indefinitely but is currently postponed.

But now the new Cobra is also being recommended for production cease. The inside word is that both the new Lightning and new Cobra are finalized and ready for production. But for these Ford ‘bean counters’, the vehicles would release on time if not ahead of schedule. And both new SVT vehicles (Lightning and Cobra) will be the most technologically advanced and powerful vehicles in the history of Ford (other than the exotics).

Here’s the most important part: the voice of current and potential SVT customers can make a difference amidst this dilemma. I ask that EVERYONE take a few moments to fax a letter to SVT. In the fax, we each need to express our opposition and contention with the postponement of the Lightning and possibly Cobra. If you are a current SVT customer, state that in the letter. It would be good to include your personal information but anonymous faxes are also effective.

In this economic climate, things can change. Reading the thread, I can understand why the financial guys may decide to off SVT. It's all about the company bottom line, and if the division is not performing up to financial standards-goodbye

ive heard 0 reports of SVT being eliminated... i have quite the reliable source ;)both are incorrect entirely
the lightning was far from finalized, or production ready. the car just couldnt be completed with the man power within SVT in the allotted time, so fucus has gone to the Cobra... and there isnt a chance in hell that is not going to show up :)
however... the Cobra was orignally intended for release in 2006.5 rather then as a 2007 MY... but that criteria was not met this past summer with so many resources devoted to the GT, and future Ford Exotics

i cant see it easy faxing directly to SVT if you dont know the departments fax number... but cirtainly, there is a costomer relations number you can phone, and fax ect.
yes, Fords quarter results show a drop in sales by 10% or so... which is huge. this is the primary reason for the new round of advertisements 'field of dreams' style. i do hope the sales rise this quarter... cirtainly the AWD 500 will help that in the northern states. what i dont see is the sale of diesle trucks quite so popular if the rates of diesle climb much more... last week the rate jumped from $1.70---$2.30/gallon. diesle trucks are approx $5,000 more then the standard V8.
luckily, the SVT devision is having little problems themselves, save the last few Cobras, and Lightnings arent selling (obviously people would rather waite for the next round)

as far as technoligically advanced... the new Escape is full of new tech,

I talked to a guy at the Ford dealership yesterday while I was test driving the new 2005 Mustang and he said they are making a Cobra and it should be out next year. I heard that they had stopped the rumors and announced that everything would go as planned.

Who cares... it's only a Ford... ;) :lol: hehe

he he :D


'I'm drivin' a Caddy you fix'n a Ford'

well, in a matter of speaking... yes and no
the lighting is currently not in any near future plans
the cobra will continue to be created, but not til MY2007
my sources are much better then a 'know it all' dealer ;)

and RC, im going to continue to stand by my assertion that the 07 cobra will knock the socks off the C6 in the straights, and even be comparable to the Z replacement in the straights. i can only hope turning capabilities will be improved greatly. weight distrabution is excellent, and the stang will have greater turn in. but unfortunately, i dont yet know much about the suspension design/geometry.

oh, and as far as new cars are conciders, the Cobra will be much more power/dollar.

but by MY'07, i suspect i may be driving a Z06 or something somewhat comparable in the summer months ;)

Im just gonna go with whatever nthfinity says and run with that.

SVT will not disban. the Lightning is shelved, as in, is on hold.

From a handling standpoint it will be astep up from the old mustang.. but still a step behind the corvette..

Think like the camaro.. since basically its the same rough suspension design as the camaro that went out.

as for straight line.. Id put money on the cobra over the c5.. but not the c6.. Kinda moot since its not a vette competitor anyway.

cobra vs C5 in straights definately (remember, we arent talking about Z series vettes) cobra vs. C6 definately in straights

the C6 Z in a rough guess based on acutal power output will be about 1/2 to 1 second faster in the 1/4

in many ways, this is quite true... my current understanding is that the new cobra will likely used mcpherson strut rear suspension once again... but that is far from sure

I disagree.. the c6 weighs what.. a few 100 less then the mustang? and it has 400 hp... I dont see the cobra comming in at much more then 400.. and we know itll weigh more then the c6. IF I were a betting man.. the c6 would top the cobra by .3-.5 of a second. That being said.. cheaper parts for the cobra would lend to a better drag car per dollar.

Well to adapt from the standard model to a ulca front system would result in a non optimal ulca system most likely.

much more then 400 hp... much much more, in fact it will/does have a better power to weight ratio then the C6
looks like time for me to do some research... as suspension is far from my forte at this point

From what source are you getting this?
Ill put money the cobra will have between 400-420hp. Not much more then that.


Id start with the example of the thirdgen versus 4th gen camaros.. a good example of apoor adaption of ulca to a former mcpherson setup.. resulting in a car that handled better with mcpherson...

I appreciate what you have been telling us, nthinfinity; but you should take the info that you get from your 'sources' with a grain of salt. I'm sure that the SVT group has signed a strict confidentiality agreement and since your father knows that you are a car nut and that you probably frequent message boards such as this, he has to be careful on what he says. I wouldn't be surprised if a meeting at SVT was set up to discuss this, such as what the employee says off hours, maybe even going so far as agreeing to spreading 'misinformation' to confuse customers and the competition alike.

well, as much as that sounds cool, its far from accurate ;)
my dad has had several projects within the SVT group (not actually any active projects)... some work on the GT, and mostly on the future Cobra. for the sake of not getting him in trouble with Ford, i wont spread any exact numbers... but i have read a fairly good deal of reports over the last summer.
ford itself has a non-disclosure agreement, so no new agreement was needed between mr. colletti and my father.
i dont like spreading false roumors, but i dont mind telling of possibilities of what has been tested...even recently... eg, a v10.

i can say with no problem that the engine has been decided upon, and is mostly unique in every aspect to past SVT Mustang engines... where it would lack its creativity is in what modular family it belongs, and its SC.
moslty, roumors that have been in the mustang forums for a while...
this was quoted from
http://www.velocidad-maxima.com/foru...ad.php?t=11126
which isnt 100% accurate... but is almost scary how accurate it is
but, i didnt say it :P

so gray, my 'source' is 100% accurate from a month ago's SVT implementations.