http://www.autoblog.com/2007/03/30/t...o-a-new-truck/

Body-on-frame truck, which means Explorer/Expedition/F-series/Ranger but no crossovers. Kinda sad that the SVT Taurus idea hasn't gained traction, but the return of a SVT truck is something to be celebreated.

 

Maybe the sport trac adrenalin will make a come back.

 

we can only hope

 

I hope so.

 

+1

 

That truck is hot. I like it.

 

+2 on the Adrenalin

 

The adrenalin is HOT. I loved the concept, except it had the god awful 07 ST door handles.
Fix those, and Ford has a winner!

 

Honestly, I love SVT and their products, but I think this is the wrong direction.

Considering the pendulum is starting to swing from big trucks to car again, they would get much more positive press and show some forward thinking by building an SVT version of one of their cars. There is virtually no R&D money involved in dropping in the Mazdaspeed 6 driveline in the Fusion or building an SVT Taurus that would show everyone that they are serious about cars again.

Fact of the matter, American car companies have to start changing the perception that they build lousy cars and great Pickups/SUV's. Some hot SVT products would be a step in that direction.

 

I couldn't agree with this more!

 

+2 .

 

I think dodge may have something on ford with their SRT lineup. Cars go better than trucks, look at Lightning demand vs something like the terminator cobras. An SVT Fusion with AWD would make my life.

 

While that's certainly true in the long term, in the short term they're making a business decision. Over the next few years, alot of car and crossover models will be introduced. But only the F-150 and eventually Explorer are incoming for Trucks. So they're hoping that the addition of an SVT truck will steal some of GM/Toyota's thunder and stem the truck sales slide.

 

Ford is really missing the boat if they never do an SVT version of the Fusion.

 

I would expect them to do a Fusion or Taurus or Interceptor or Focus at some point, but right now they're doing a truck.

 

I agree. Ford continues to put too many of its eggs in the truck/SUV/CUV basket. The Edge and new Flex are great - I think the Flex will do extremely well - but where is the equivalent full-size sedan? Ford needs a kick-a$$ full-size sedan right now to replace the lackluster 500/Taurus, one that could get an SVT treatment.

But at least the Flex demonstrates that the company is becoming innovative once again, and focusing on both technology and quality interiors.

 

My guess is the truck is already 90% complete. They've have the F series and SportTrac Chassis' on hand for longer than the Fusion and Taurus. So logic tells me they have had more time to develope the truck product.

 

So where is it? I thought they were going to announce something at New York?

As far as I'm concered SVT has no future because it's no longer alive period.

 

I never heard anything about an announcement coming up soon...

The Explorer's supposedly gonna end up on a unibody chassis sometime soon, so i'm guessing it'll be a pick up. I'm kinda wondering if they'll update the Ranger and give us an SVT version at the same time to really catch some attention. Didn't they show us the 2004 Lightning concept at the same time as the updated F150? Then again, maybe they're working an an SVT 2009 F150 for release along the updated F150.
I kinda hope they've got something up their sleeves for the Ranger name. Ranger is a pretty strong name, and I wouldn't say its been tainted by anything sh**y. Just a lack of attention for a long time. It would probably grow over the current model, which I don't like, but there is a lot of room between the current Ranger and the F series.