1984 Ford Mustang SVO New Car Review: Throwback Thursday
With the recent release of the EcoBoost option for the S550 Mustang, we thought it appropriate to hearken back to 1984 when the SVO Mustang ruled the streets with its unorthodox blend of performance and function-over-form style. As MotorWeek put it back in ’84:
“This Black Bullet isn’t just another case of a big V8 tied to a tired, but familiar sporty-coupe chassis. It’s a total rethink of the Mustang by Ford’s secret special vehicles brain trust. We wanted to see how much life was left in this old steed, and managed to find a high-tech fountain of youth.”
It certainly was cutting-edge thanks to a 2.3 turbocharged four-cylinder good for 175-205 hp and 210-248 lb-ft depending on the year. That power was backed by five-lug spindles, uprated suspension and better brakes. The high-boost four-banger not only knocked down 32 mpg on the highway, but it even had a button on the dash that switched “ECU calibrations for regular or high-test unleaded fuel calibrations,” as MotorWeek put it.
Plenty of aerodynamic tweaks on the outside augmented by plenty of sportscar suspension, braking and interior bits made for an American pony car that was unconventionally savvy in the corners while simultaneously holding its own on the straights. The result was a Mustang that cornered flat while returning 0-60 sprints of 7.9 seconds and quarter-mile springs of 16.7 @ 87 mph on the way to a top speed of 130 mph — all solid figures for the time.
You either loved or hated the SVO Mustang, which boils down to either you got it or you didn’t. I can’t help but think the new EcoBoost Mustangs will garner the same response from the muscle-car community. Whether you’re a fan or not, it’s hard not to recognize the significance of the SVO Mustang; a car that attracted a population of people who would’ve otherwise ignored the Mustang, and a car that helped keep FoMoCo on the performance front lines when emissions regulations nearly killed the pony car.