http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...ticleId=109512


Team spiritless: Ford's SVT concept is history
Date posted: 03-06-2006

Quietly, Ford Motor Co. has been dismantling SVT — the Special Vehicle Team — and sources inside the company suggest that as of April 1, SVT as we've known it since 1992 will cease to exist.

Just over a year ago, I wrote a column titled "SVT: A near-death experience?" It was more prophetic than I'd hoped. SVT, responsible for such products as the SVT Cobra Mustang, the SVT Lightning pickup, the SVT Contour and the SVT Focus, no longer has a dedicated marketing staff, a dedicated public relations staff, an independent engineering team, a press fleet or an events trailer. The dealer network that was painstakingly assembled among Ford's top dealers has crumbled, and some dealers reportedly are talking about a class-action lawsuit.

SVT's longtime executive staff is gone, and, oddly enough, so are the Ford executives who developed and executed SVT's demise.

Yes, the 2007 Mustang in Shelby Cobra trim is still coming, and yes, it was developed by SVT. And yes, it'll have SVT badges, because it's too late to take them off. But it is the last genuine SVT product.

By "genuine," I mean it was developed by SVT, from concept to execution, then sold through the network of 600 dedicated Ford SVT dealers, who paid to be part of SVT, sent employees to SVT training and stocked SVT parts. Any future Ford products that carry an SVT badge, and it is unlikely any will, will be more of a "suspension tuned by SVT"-type vehicle. And the 7,500 Shelby Cobra Mustangs sold for 2007 — more, if they can get enough transmissions — will be offered to all 3,900 Ford dealers, not just SVT participants.

SVT has had no dedicated products since 2004. A high-performance version of the new Sport Trac, called the Adrenalin, was shown at the New York auto show in March 2005. At a preview for journalists, SVT Director Hau Thai-Tang said that the Adrenalin "is going to turn the performance vehicle market upside down" when it goes on sale as a 2007 model. Then, last month, the Adrenalin was canceled as part of Ford's "Way Forward" restructuring campaign. "As part of our way forward, we are adjusting our product plan and decided not to produce the Sport Trac Adrenalin," said Ford spokesman Jon Harmon. The Ford GT supercar, which was developed largely by SVT engineers but was not called an SVT model, will end production later this year.

If you check the official SVT Web site, there remains a glowing story about the Adrenalin, and when it's coming to market. "I guess we're a little behind on that Web site," said one Ford executive. Yes, I guess.

This is the second such embarrassment for SVT: The company showed a concept version of a new 500-horsepower Lightning in 2003 and promised to produce it, but in late 2004, pulled the plug.

SVT was founded in 1991 by Robert Rewey, Ford's vice president for marketing and sales, and Neil Ressler, Ford's chief technical officer. The idea was that SVT would consist of a small group of engineers, designers and marketing professionals who would work inside Ford, charged with building and selling high-performance versions of existing products. SVT also set up a separate dealer network, signing up Ford dealers who had an interest in selling performance products.

In 1992, the first two SVT products were launched: the 1993 F-150 Lightning pickup and the 1993 Mustang Cobra. In 1997, the SVT Contour was introduced, and in 1999, the second-generation Lightning went in sale. In late 2001, the '02 SVT Focus went on sale. By 2004, when production of the Lightning, Mustang Cobra and SVT Focus ended, the company had sold about 145,000 SVT products.

So what went wrong?

It appears that the *****-out effort to build the Ford GT by the company's 100th anniversary took its toll on the SVT staff, slowing development of more mainstream future products, such as the next-generation Lightning, an updated SVT Focus and an SVT version of the Fusion. The Ford executives who oversaw SVT, group vice presidents Steve Lyons and Phil Martens, didn't give SVT the resources it needed to rebuild.

Martens is gone; he's running Plastech, a company that supplies spoilers and scuff plates and other bits and pieces to the manufacturers. And Lyons retired March 1 to move to Arizona and run a Ford dealership. Reportedly Lyon's replacement, Cisco Codina, likes SVT, but it's too late.

Why? Because SVT's top executives are gone, too. John Coletti, the bulldog engineer who was the heart and soul of SVT, retired at the end of 2004. Tom Scarpello, Coletti's counterpart on the marketing side, moved to Jaguar. Chris Theodore, a Ford vice president who spearheaded the Ford GT, is gone. This leaves the talented, personable Hau Thai-Tang to run SVT. Essentially, he's a captain without a ship.

It's painful to see what has happened to SVT, especially when you look at the success of Chrysler's SRT program, which in many ways mirrors what SVT was. In the grand scheme of Ford's problems, botching SVT is a small one. But to enthusiasts, it speaks volumes.

Nearly 10 years ago I was in Las Vegas, the first to drive the upcoming SVT Contour. John Coletti and I, en route to some all-you-can-eat buffet at a casino, were talking about GM's current strategy of hiring brand managers for each model. It was not a successful program, but I was playing devil's advocate.

"Maybe it's a good thing," I told Coletti, "to have someone whose job it is to be excited about the Chevrolet Cavalier."

Coletti thought for a moment. "But wouldn't it be better to just build cars that you didn't have to pay someone to be excited about?"

Yes, John, it would. And you and your team always did.

 

Ford bonehead restructuring is killing SVT, and maybe Ford

 

As much as I don't like Ford as a whole it's sad to see something good as SVT go away. They did a great job making blah cars special (ie: the Contour). It's also sad to see someone like Coletti go away. The man was the heart and soul of SVT and the man who many feel, saved the mustang. I guess you could call him Ford's version of Red. A guy in the company who has a passion for the cars like no other

 

I just skimmed (busy at work), but I can tell you that it wasn't poor leadership at SVT, and the Ford GT didn't kill SVT.


What is dissolving SVT is certain people in certain positions who are asking why does Ford have SVT AND Ford Performance division.

SVT HAD a number of proposals lined up, and would have begun an onslaught based on Coletti's belief that incorperating intop FP would give them more resources, and the promise to expand into Lincoln-Mercury.

Remember, there was a Lightning that was killed, then Adrenline, there was also SVT Focus and Fusion, and thjat's just what I know about.

I think Edmunds has this wrong again.

Ford in a desparate attempt to become profitable killed SVT.

 

Work? I thought you were retired.

You know, I just don't know where Ford is going. I can't really think of a decision that Ford has made in the past year or two that has made me feel good.

This thing they're doing with SVT is just so plain stupid.

Killing DEW98...I mean, WTF?

No RWD for Lincoln....huh?!

Basing virtually all of their cars on either a Mazda or Volvo platform, (okay, that part might have some smartness, but it rubs me the wrong way).

I mean, you'd think they might make a good decision in spite of themselves, just based on sheer chance.

This downward spiral all began with Phil Martens. When he yanked the IRS out of the Mustang and gave it a live rear axle. Yup, everything started going down the crapper - and fast - right after that.

 

Damn who going to build the next Cobra's now?

 

I was retired. Fell into a chance I couldn't resist, so I took it.


Back to Ford, I was pretty excited about things apparently turning around after Bill Ford took over. Afterall, he greenlighted the GT and approved an expanded role and resources for SVT. It's almost as if he gave up, and handed off to someone else to save the company.

Ford may start making money on their cars again, but losing SVT and putting everything on Mustang isn't something I think is smart.... especially with GM poised to release just about everything in their arsenial on the market.

 

I know the history of SVT was recently posted including how dealers became authorized to handle SVT products, but I think that is also something that restricts their success. Why would Ford want to invest money to sell products to only a small percentage of its dealers? As a customer, will I have to drive all over the state to go to my "SVT approved" dealer for maintenance?

It's ironic that the performance division everyone was rushing to duplicate for their brands is now defunct. I'd have to imagine Ford will come up with some type of name/branding system for the masses to identify their "go-fast" versions. Surely they won't do a Shelby Fusion or Focus.

 

I bet "svt" as a set of letters might go away, but a team of gearheads within Ford making Ford performance vehicles (< maybe that's the new name) will still turn out what Ford owners have expected from the SVT people.

 

It is sad to see that SVT is going, even as a GM fan. But my question is, what is the deal about this paragraph? It seems as though they just wanted to take a stab at GM in some way.

 

I see Ford's move to disassemble the SVT as a real mistake.

There's much to be said for the intangibles in any business. SVT was a brand many future buyers could be excited about as aspirational vehicles. Younger folks that lust after cars they can't afford, righ now, but making that early impression goes a long way to getting your products a serious consideration in the future.

Car companies that forget their past and don't think of enthusiasts in the present will certainly risk their future.

 

We'll see. You sure won't get the total package...or the focus. Maybe generic "performance" models like Mustang GT and Focus ZX3.

Let me give you one small example. Let's say you had a question or concern about your SVT. You'd call the SVT 800 number. Sometimes they'd ask for your VIN just to confirm your SVT ownership. Once past that, you're talking to an SVT 'specialist' at Ford (as in Michigan), who is very knowledgeable and most probably also drives an SVT....so he knows exactly what you're talking about. You're not talking to Melvindar in 'customer service", located in Bombay India...who might be polite, but otherwise useless to you.

 

Exactly. As much as I like the Camaro...if I could get my hands on an 03 Cobra...I would. I know I can't, and won't be able to for a while. That car is so easy to get power out of (few $ in mods), its inspirational.
I've been acting the same way you described to. I can't wait for the next model year cobra (or possibly other svt badged vehicles). The 03 was so good that it would take some real internal tree chopping for Ford to mess up the next generation.
I guess they decided to chop down the tree instead of trim the branches.
at least those SVT guys were able to leave behind a legend...(This new Cobra is gonna knock our socks off!).

 

Its funny about this whole thing. Just a few years ago I didn't think SVT was in any kind of bad situation. They had the Focus, Lightning and the new supercharged Cobra out. Now, here we are, and Ford is axing them. Probably not a decision I would have made, but then again, I don't work for Ford, or have a business degree.

 

As well as the special service you got at the authorized SVT dealer.

I was intrigued when I was bringing my last Mustang around for service at SVT customers were gotten to right away, and in talking to a couple of them, they glowed positive about the service they were getting, if they had questions or issues, there was an 800 number to call, how there was a preogram where SVT (Cobra owners, at least) could tour the engine room where their engines were hand assembled, and actually meet the guy who put it together (engines are made by 2 person craftsmen, who sign a plaque yhat's rivited to the top of the engine). They could even arrange through SVT to talk to the top people at SVT, including Coletti, over issues or input.

Somehow, I don't see the buyer of a GT500 at any of Fords nearly 4000 dealers getting the same treatment and perks, especially talking to Hau.

Besides, Colletti was light years more entertaining.