2001 SVT About History

2001

SVT was founded in late 1991 when Robert L. Rewey, Group Vice President-Marketing and Sales, Ford Automotive Operations, and Neil Ressler, Vice President of Research & Vehicle Technology and Chief Technical Officer, saw the need for the company to step up its commitment to develop and market a line of Ford-badged performance vehicles that would appeal to knowledgeable automotive enthusiasts.

The 1992 Chicago Auto Show featured the official launch of the result of Rewey's and Ressler's interest - SVT - and the unveiling of the '93 SVT Mustang Cobra and SVT F-150 Lightning. Both limited-edition products went on sale in February 1993. The racing version of the Fox-platform SVT Mustang, the 1993 Cobra R, arrived on the scene three months later.

Building on the solid base of the all-new SN95 platform, the second-generation SVT Mustang Cobra coupe arrived in '94. Beyond the improved strength and rigidity of the new Mustang body structure, the Cobra received improvements to its brakes, safety features, suspension tuning, engine and wheels and tires. Another first for SVT was the introduction of the SVT Cobra convertible, which paced the 1994 Indianapolis 500.

In what was perhaps the most publicized use of the 351-cid Windsor V-8, SVT installed the powerful engine in the 1995 SVT Mustang Cobra R. The '95 Cobra R was featured in almost every major automotive magazine in North America. SVT Cobra coupe and convertible models rounded out the 1995 SVT lineup, along with the highly acclaimed F-150 Lightning making its third model-year appearance.

For 1996, SVT introduced a hand-assembled 305-horsepower version of Ford's 4.6-liter four-valve V-8 to power the Cobra. SVT also took its first step beyond the U.S. market by entering the performance-enthusiast market of Canada. In February of '96, SVT returned to the Chicago Auto Show to unveil the 4.6-liter 4-valve Cobra convertible and to preview the newest SVT product, a high-performance version of the Ford Contour. The SVT Contour went on sale in the second quarter of 1997 as a '98 model.

The Ford Special Vehicle Team returned once more to the Chicago Auto Show to announce that it would introduce a new generation of the SVT F-150 Lightning as a 1999 model, featuring a supercharged 5.4-liter Triton V-8.

From the Cobra to the Lightning to the SVT Contour and beyond, the Special Vehicle Team's focus remains the same: to build enthusiast vehicles with balanced performance. Toward that end, SVT vehicles must stop as well as they accelerate, ride as well as they handle - and above all, they must always be fun to drive.

The Ford Special Vehicle Team's 2000 SVT Mustang Cobra R is the pony car icon taken to the extreme of pure performance. Developed specifically for racing, 300 of these vehicles were built at Ford's Dearborn Assembly Plant in Spring of 2000, and sold through selected SVT certified dealers.

The limited-production SVT products are sold only through specially trained and SVT certified Ford dealers in North America who are prepared to satisfy discriminating driving enthusiasts before, during and after the sale. Interested customers can find the location of an SVT dealer in their area by using the Dealer Locator. Or they can call the toll-free SVT hotline at 800-FORD-SVT (800-367-3788) for more information about our products.

The relationship between the Ford Motor Company and the name "Cobra" goes back more than three decades. In 1960, Ford was developing a new powerplant that would go beyond the norm in power, efficiency and refinement. The engine was originally known as the Fairlane 221 V-8. At about the same time, A.C. Cars Ltd. of Surrey, England, was looking for a new supply of engines for the Ace, its strong, lightweight roadster. When the two came together, the A.C. Cobra was born and history was made. Cobra soon became a household word and became inextricably linked with Ford's "Total Performance" program in the early and middle 1960s. Before that tumultuous decade was out, Cobras had won scores of races around the world and wrested the coveted World Manufacturer's Championship for GT cars away from Ferrari - which had held it in an iron grip for 12 years. A legend and an image were born. Over the last 30 years, Ford Motor Company has cast a number of high-visibility products bearing the Cobra name in the image, if not the likeness, of that original limited-edition version of the Mustang. The SVT Mustang Cobra continues the performance tradition to this day. The history of the Cobra marque is a high-performance narrative spanning three decades.
	The Ford Fairlane 221 engine and the A.C. Ace roadster come together to form the A.C. Cobra
	A limited-edition, ultra high-performance version of the immensely popular Mustang carries Cobra badges on its body and engine. It captures its class in the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) national road-race championships in 1965, '66 and '67
	The 428 Cobra Jet V-8 turns the Mustang into a full-fledged muscle car
	Performance enhancements and special body and engine identification combine in the limited-edition Ford Fairlane Cobra
	The new Ford Torino is introduced. A Cobra performance package with body and engine identification is a part of the model lineup
	Mustang again dons the Cobra name, which comes with a bold exterior graphics package
	The Fox-bodied Mustang debuts, featuring a Cobra package
	The made-in-the-USA Mustang GT Cobra debuts in Canada
	Ford Motor Company's Special Vehicle Team (SVT) introduces the 1993 Mustang Cobra and 4,993 are built. This specially engineered sports coupe featuring a high-output 5.0-liter V-8 is sold only through select Ford dealers. A lightweight competition version, the Cobra R, is also introduced. Intended primarily for SCCA club racing, only 107 of these nonetheless street-legal models with enhanced suspension, engine cooling and brakes are built
	Along with the rest of the Mustang line, the Cobra moves to the all-new SN95 platform. Cobra is selected as the Official Pace Car of the Indianapolis 500 and a specially modified convertible is built to lead the race. To commemorate the honor, 1,000 Official Pace Car Replicas are produced for retail sale. All of these convertibles have Rio Red Clearcoat exteriors, Saddle tops and leather-trimmed Saddle interiors. They are highly sought after by collectors. A total of 5,009 Cobra coupes are built
	Cobra's exclusivity is further enhanced when only 4,005 coupes are built. Following the pattern set the previous year, the Cobra convertible is available in only one color scheme: Black Clearcoat exterior, Black top, and leather-trimmed Saddle interior; production of these is limited to 1,003. The first Cobra R model since 1993 is produced, powered by a 300 horsepower 5.8-liter V-8. Only 250 versions of this street-legal competition model are built
	A new chapter is written in Mustang history as a special version of the 4.6-liter four-valve V-8 powers the 305-horsepower Cobra
	A major sheet-metal makeover distinguishes the SVT Mustang Cobra exterior, but the best news is under the new skin. The 4.6-liter 4-valve V-8 engine is upgraded to 320 horsepower, and the list of standard equipment includes sophisticated, all-speed traction control. For the first time in pony-car history, the Cobra exclusively features an independent rear suspension (IRS)
	SVT Mustang Cobra R receives the modular 5.4L 32-valve DOHC V8. The Cobra R produces 385 horse-power and 385 lbs./ft. of torque

	SVT founded by Robert L. Rewey, Group Vice President-Marketing and Sales, Ford Automotive Operations and Neil Ressler, Vice President of Research & Vehicle Technology and Chief Technical Officer
	Official Launch of the '93 SVT Mustang Cobra and SVT F-150 Lightning
	SVT Mustang Cobra and SVT F-150 Lightning produced for sale
	Introduction of the second generation SVT Mustang Cobra coupe SVT Mustang Cobra convertible paced the Indianapolis 500
	SVT Mustang Cobra R features 351-cid Windsor V-8 SVT F-150 Lightning makes its third model-year appearance
	Hand-assembled 305-horsepower version of Ford's 4.6-liter four-valve V-8 is added to the SVT Cobra SVT previews the new high-performance SVT Contour at the Chicago Auto Show
	SVT Contour goes on sale second quarter as a '98 model 50,000 SVT Vehicles sold
	Introduction of a new generation SVT F-150 Lightning for '99 model year
	1999 SVT F-150 Lightning produced in March featuring a supercharged 5.4-liter Triton V-8
	SVT Mustang Cobra R receives the modular 5.4L 32-valve DOHC V8 The Cobra R produces 385 horse-power and 385 lbs./ft. of torque