Special Vehicle Team
See also Special Vehicle Operations
Special Vehicle Team, also known as SVT, is an arm of Ford Motor Company responsible for the development of the company's highest-performance vehicles, much like Mercedes-AMG, BMW M, Audi Sport & Performance Division, Chrysler's SRT division, and GM's Performance Division. SVT is the successor to the SVO division. The current SVT Director is Hermann Salenbauch. SVT was previously led by Hau Thai-Tang (2004–2007) and John Coletti (199X-2004).
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| Ford Motor Co. SVT Logo |
Special
Vehicle Team
|
|
Founded
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1993
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Owner(s)
|
Ford
Motor Company
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Location
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Dearbon,
Michigan
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Information
The group mainly produces specially tuned versions of Ford production vehicles such as the 2010 F-150 SVT Raptor which is based on the F-150 pickup, and the Shelby GT500, which was based on the Mustang. However, they do occasionally develop models independently of the rest of the company, namely the GT supercar (developed in conjunction with Saleen). SVT was founded in 1983 by John Plant of Ford Marketing, Janine Bay of Ford Mustang Program Management, and Robert Burnham of Ford Truck Program Management. Originally known as Special Vehicle Operations, SVOdeveloped the 1984–1986 2.3-liter turbo-charged 4-cylinder Mustang SVO, as well as marketed performance parts through dealer networks (now known as Ford Racing Performance Parts, or FRPP).
Ford SVT just debuted the 2010 F-150 SVT Raptor high-performance off-road truck. The Raptor is the only high-speed off-road performance truck offered by any OEM. Using a completely re-designed suspension, with internal-bypass Fox Racing Shox and specially developed BF Goodrich all-terrain 35" tires, the Raptor is considered an OEM-style "pre-runner." Pre-runners are reconnaissance vehicles used for high-speed testing of off-road race courses before a race.
F-150 SVT Raptor also debuted the all-new 6.2-liter V8 engine as an option for the 2010 model year (likely to be standard in subsequent model years). Ford reports horsepower and torque as 411 hp (306 kW) @ 5500 rpm, 588 Nm (434 lbft) @ 4500 rpm in the Raptor. All Raptor models will have a 6-speed automatic transmission, selectable 4WD, and rear E-Locker that stays engaged at high-speeds.
The GT500 coupe, convertible, and King of the Road (KR) models engineered by SVT continue on for the 2009 model year. All models are equipped with a supercharged 5.4-liter V8 and six-speed manual transmission. GT500 produces 500 hp and 480 ft-lbs of torque. GT500KR models have 540 hp and 510 ft-lbs of torque.
Speculation suggests that as a result of Ford's plan to globalize their vehicles, SVT and the European RS division will merge, thus aligning all American and European performance vehicle activity together.
SVT vehicles
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Model
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Version
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Year
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Engine
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Power
|
Torque
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Production
|
|
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SVT Lightning
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9
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1993
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5.8 L Windsor FI V8
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240 hp (179 kW)
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461 Nm (340 lbft)
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5,276
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|
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1994
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4,007
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||||||
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1995
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2,280
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||||||
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Total
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11,563
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||||||
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10
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1999
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5.4 L supercharged Triton V8
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360 hp (268 kW)
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597 Nm (440 lbft)
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4,000
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||
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2000
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4,966
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||||||
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2001
|
380 hp (283 kW)
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610 Nm (450 lbft)
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6,381
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||||
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2002
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4,726
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||||||
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2003
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4,270
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||||||
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2004
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3,781
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||||||
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Total
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28,124
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||||||
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Total - SVT Lightning
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39,687
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||||||
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SVT Cobra
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Fox
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Base
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1993
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5.0 L Windsor V8
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235 hp (175 kW)
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380 Nm (280 lbft)
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4,993
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|
R
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1993
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107
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|||||
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Total
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5,100
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||||||
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SN-95 1
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Base
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1994
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5.0 L Windsor V8
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240 hp (179 kW)
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386 Nm (285 lbft)
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6,009
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|
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1995
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5,008
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||||||
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1996
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4.6 L DOHC Modular V8
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305 hp (227 kW)
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407 Nm (300 lbft)
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10,002
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|||
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1997
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10,049
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||||||
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1998
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8,654
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||||||
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R
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1995
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5.8 L Windsor V8
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300 hp (224 kW)
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495 Nm (365 lbft)
|
250
|
||
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Total
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39,973
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||||||
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SN-95 2
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Base
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1999
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4.6 L DOHC Modular V8
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320 hp (239 kW)
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430 Nm (317 lbft)
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8,095
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|
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2001
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7,251
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||||||
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2003
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4.6 L DOHC SC Modular V8
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390 hp (291 kW)
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529 Nm (390 lbft)
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13,476
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|||
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2004
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5,664
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||||||
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R
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2000
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5.4 L DOHC Modular V8
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385 hp (287 kW)
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522 Nm (385 lbft)
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300
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||
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Total
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34,859
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||||||
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Total - SVT Cobra
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79,932
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||||||
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SVT Contour
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CDW27
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1998
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2.5 L Duratec
25 SVT V6
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195 hp (145 kW)
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224 Nm (165 lbft)
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6,535
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|
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1999
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200 hp (149 kW)
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229 Nm (169 lbft)
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2,760
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||||
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2000
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2,150
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||||||
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Total
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11,445
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||||||
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SVT Focus
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CW170
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2002
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2.0 L Zetec I4
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170 hp (127 kW)
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197 Nm
(145 lbft)
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4,788
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|
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2003
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6,158
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||||||
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2004
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3,057
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||||||
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Total
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14,003
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||||||
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Total
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144,993*
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||||||
SVT is credited in the following vehicles:
- 1993 SVT Cobra
- 1993 SVT Cobra R
- 1993-1995 Ford SVT Lightning
- 1994-1995 SVT Cobra
- 1995 SVT Cobra R
- 1996-1998 SVT Cobra
- 1998-2000 SVT Contour
- 1999-2001 SVT Cobra
- 2000 SVT Cobra R
- 1999-2004 Ford SVT Lightning
- 2003-2004 SVT Cobra
- 2002-2004 SVT Focus
- 2005–2006 Ford GT
- 2007–present Shelby GT500
- 2010–present Ford F-150 SVT Raptor
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