Most SVT enthusiasts will know that SVT has evolved over the years.
First it was the SVO, Special Vehicle Operations, with the Turbo 4. Then next the SVO, evolved into, SVE, Special Vehicle Engineering. It once again molded itself into SVT in 1993, as we know it today, Special Vehicle Teams. And with that, we have had 10 years of some of the coolest cars possible. 93 Cobra, 95 Cobra R, Super Stallion, Boss, 2000 Cobra R, and of course the infamous 03-04 Cobra and Ford GT.

I ask my fellow mustang enthusiasts, would it be so bad for SVT to evolve once more into...........
Shelby Vehicle Teams.....

There would be no reason the philosophy would have to change all that much. Kick hiney tuned performance vehicles with the name of the Legend himself. Now think about it. It matters not if you like Shelby, or think his stuff is overpriced. If it wasnt for Shelby we would NOT be where we are today. If it werent for him, the Ford GT, might not have gotten the fine tuning it needed to win Lemans,,,No GT350, no GT500, probably no Current Cobras etc...What better way to honor the man who has had like 10 hearts, and has done so much for Fords performance imagine,,then honoring him with the Title to Fords Performance brand image. Its a way to let Caroll Shelby's name to live on with FMC, and us enthusiats to get what we really want......an SVT Mustang Cobra, no need to consfuse things,, SVT Cobra by Shebly,,,Shelby GT500 by SVT,,,,thats just too darn confusing.....

 

Hmmmm . . not a bad idea, but due to his affiliation with Dodge/Chrysler and his past "spats" with FMC over GT350/Cobra names I would rather have his legacy live on in another manner.

SVT has built their reputation on their own, and I think it is a little bit of an insult to SVT to tie directly with Shelby. Don't get me wrong I admire/respect Shelby for ALL he has accomplished!!

Great topic for discussion.

 

I agree. SVT has worked hard to be where there at and SVT enthusaists have rewarded Ford, SVT by being just that. It would be kind of unfair to have something that you are a die-hard fan of taken and given to someone else saying "Here you go, it belongs to you now."

Shelby, having the stature that he does, should be honored in another way. He could still have his Shelby Mustang partnered w/ Ford as an in-house project but not thru SVT. I'm sorry but it shouldn't.

If the past and present indicate ANYTHING towards the future, it is that ANYONE can be replaced at the drop of a hat. Loyality among ,Inc. is gone w/ the days of the 8-track, LP, and T.V. repairman. The ONLY thing that stays is the almighty $ and that is who Ford is sticking w/.

 

You may have missed my point. It would still be busincess as usual with SVT, it would just happen to stand for Shelby Vehicle Teams. Nothing really needs to change really other than the name. Despite all the spats etc....it would be nice way for SVT to evolve.

 

Couldn't agree more. I love Shelby, and I love SVT. So much that I want to keep them distinct.

I mean, I like Ferarri and Lamborghini both, but I sure wouldn't like to see them combined.

 

No . . I got your point (at least I think I did in my head ). I have no problem with Shelby being associated with the Mustang. I would have a problem with Shelby’s name on future SVT products that aren’t Mustangs, i.e., Fusion (Shelby Vehicle Team Fusion :notnice: ), Lightning, etc.

When Dodge slapped his name all over Omni’s and Durango’s, and FWD Chargers I think he lost some of his credibility. Not that those were THAT bad of cars. Those little Omni’s were pretty darn fast. I just think his association should stay with his own projects, and Mustangs.

 

What I COULD deal w/ is this senario: The SVT Cobra AND a Shelby Mustang _____ by SVT. That way the SVT Cobra would remain, Shelby and Ford could have their in-house project, top-of-the-line B.A. car. Which would still leave room for SVT Fusion, SVT Lightning(?).......

 

The problem with having them distinct, is you run the gamut of flooding the mustang market, and confusion as to which one is top dog. I want the SVT Cobra to be top dog no matter what, but i want it to stay affordable, by having a seperate Shelby,,,you have two scenarios....A higher priced Shelby, that will cause problems with Cobra owners because they wont feel like they are getting the top mustang, and then a lower priced Shelby, then people will believe they are just watering down the legend. I thought it would be nice just to combine the name, and call it a day.
As for the other vehicles, no one really would called it a Shelby Vehicle Team Fusion,,but rather just an SVT Fusion.

 

Shelby's name will be nowhere on the SVT name....they're seperate identities and will be kept seperate.

 

Again, I disagree. Maybe, just MAYBE, IF this was being done by GM, I could agree w/ you. Ford has been very good about keeping the public salivating for more and for their customers to afford their product. If your worried about top dog, take it to the track. Saleen enthusaists run into the same debate w/ Roush enthusaists and SVT and so on. I say let the people choose which they think is better and let them decide what they want. Some people want a SVT Cobra, some want a Shelby Mustang, some want a Saleen, some want a Roush, .......

EDIT: I really don't care who can **** the bigger pee. What I do care about is the quality and value of the car I find appealing to make me purchase it.

 

I agree, quality has to be there, regardless of whether its Shelby, SVT, or a combination. I dont really consider Roush, or Saleen in the same class. Im more interested in cars from the factory. As much as i like the Roush and Saleen, they arent from Ford (even if they do have contracts with Ford and developmental partnerships)
Id like a partnership like the Ford GT, Saleen helped and did many thigns on the Ford GT, but it wasnt called the Ford GT powered by Saleen. It was still the Ford GT. Id like Shelby to have a similiar roll int he next Cobra Mustang.

 

I would too, but I don't think the proper way to do that is for Shelby to replace, be a part of, whatever w/ SVT. SVT may owe its being in around about way to Shelby, but from my perspective, SVT has gotten along just fine w/o Carrol Shelby so far from this point. It doesn't make sense for Ford to work so hard towards something to destinguish itself as a top-shelf manufacturer to simply opt-out this way. Ford defenately doesn't need any help getting rid of any mustangs, just the ratio at which the v6's to GT's are produced.

 

April Car&Driver Tang mentions that SVT is alive and well and how Shelby will fit in is up in the air still. I hope that SVT holds to its core values and the people that bought product B4 it was the flavour of the week. I value my car because its a TOTAL pkg. not just stickers and crap or just a big engine. And its so darn subtle that cops don't even know what it is. If I want a show car I'll buy an Navigator with 24in bling. I wnat to drive everywhere fast and safe and I'm counting on SVT to keep me in the fold.

 

I was told that Shelby bought into SVT. So if SVT now stands for Shelby Vehicle Team, I'd be happy.

 

SVT should remain the same ... create a sub-name of SVT-S, for Special Vehicle Team - Shelby. So you'd have the SVT Cobra, and the SVT-S GT500 or whatever.

 

you forgot that there was a '93 Cobra R

 

I don't see SVT changing to Shelby. I think there will be a car or line of cars with shelby's name on them made by SVT. Someone said SVT will be making more of the special cars and not neccesarily calling them SVT. Like the Mach 1 and Marauder types. The Ford GT is an SVT car, but, not called SVT.

So, all Shelbys will be SVT, but, not all SVTs will be Shelbys.

 

"Brilliant!"

Seriously, that is the smartest thing I read in a while. Not to say dat we....um posts dum posts.

 

my view is that SVT moves upmarket and Shelby takes the middle ground with the mustang.

I see the se mustangs being Shelbys while the fastest of the bunch still being the cobra. I dont see a gt500 being produced. I see a gt-350 which would be a tuned 4.6 3v with the cobras suspension, brakes, tranny. Original paint skeem, interior and wheels.

I dont know why but I cant see SVT giving up its top dog spot to shelby. They have earned it and worked to hard to achieve it.

The only other thing I can think of is the SVT and Gt-500 being produced at the same time. One catering to drag racers and the other towards twisties. This will remove the need for "options" in the top of the line mustangs.

 

Yes it would ..... If it becomes Shelby Vehicle Teams, then you have one name influencing everything. Special Vehicle Team is just that .... A bunch of gear heads that answered only to themselves that created special vehicles out of what most people would think would be ordinary.

There were no egos to woory about ..... no puffery ... only producing some of the fastest mass manufactured street cars ever created.

They can put the Shelby name on it, but guarantee you this ... egos will be involved. Rights will be involved, toes will get stepped on and that can only spell issues.

If you are correct, hopefully Shelby and company doesnt screw it up.

I like ordinary people, doing extraordinary things to our cars. Shelby's are really very nice, but that was 40 years ago .... Give me my Special Vehicle Team anyday.