Are these hints?

http://www.fordracingparts.com/downl...gs/2007-pp.pdf

Scroll down to page 7. Ford Racing has the GT500 parts labeled on the SVT Cobra section as "SVT MUSTANG COBRA". I am wondering if Ford views the deluding of SVT as a mistake and might be considering the possibility of bringing back an alliance with the SVT faithful.

Also, I recently received an invitation from the SVTOA with information regarding an upcoming Experience III event and a new SVT Enthusiast magazine.

 

I'll keep my ears open for Coletti coming out of retirement....god i wish!

 

Interesting, very interesting!

--> Coletti!

 

As devoted as Coletti was he would come back for free.

If not him, a head for SVT would have to be in Coletti's mold.

 

agreed!

 

Perhaps someone should forward Mr. Coletti's email address to Mr. Mulally! Proper introductions should be in order!

 

Perhaps an email to Mr. Mulally in a form of a reminder of their market share might be a bit more persuasive.

 

Or you could try something like the letter campaign that saved the Mustang from being replaced by the Probe (shivers). IIRC, one of the letters began with a - "Dear A$$#*!&..." LOL. Maybe not. =(

 

that makes me sooo happy...that faux gas cap logo for me on the back would be changed to just to cobra logo and the shelby letters GONE!!!!!!!!

 

wow...I think that was the biggest PDF I've ever seen. Cool TOO!

 

I've stated it before and I'll state it again. With apologies to the faithful I'm glad SVT as we knew it is gone. The unjustifiable atitude of superiority, the ridiculous accounts of the tail (SVT) wagging the dog (Ford), etc. finally just made me believe SVT had become more of a thorn than a benefit to FoMoCo.

I hope an internal tuning arm does reappear at Ford, and if they are called SVT that is fine by me, but I also hope that Ford has learned their lesson and that they keep any future pet projects on their respective leash.

 

No leash!! If SVT had been on a "leash" would the products SVT created been half as good, or been created at all? Would there even have been a 2003-2004 Cobra? SVT should have been a thorn in the side of FMC. God forbid the 'bean counters' rule the entire company!

 

The fact that SVT was something of a 'rebel' organization may have been a bit romantic, but there are many kinds of rebels in this world and many possess undesirable characteristics.

There were only two logical reasons for SVT's existence:

1. To further the development of Ford cars

2: To further the image of Ford's North American products.

They did a decent job of the first (although Ford has done a better job of this in the past to be blunt) but, by the end of their tenure were apparently doing everything that they could to avoid execution of the second. That is a serious problem no matter how you slice it and speaks to a fundamental flaw in the mentality of the organization.

 

I am curious as to why you feel SVT was not doing everything they could to avoid execution of enhancing the image of Ford’s North American products. Are you specifically relating to the 1999 Cobra engine issues, or poor quality in the SVT Focus or trying to cover a broader picture with the lack of product coming from SVT?

I am sure that given the opportunity SVT personal would have jumped at the chance to work/create further product, but even they must follow the money and if there is not enough for full development what are they suppose to do? Given the platforms they had to work with I think they did an outstanding job.

 

Actually my problem with SVT isn't really with the quality of the cars. There was room for improvement, but then that is always the case. And SVT did indeed build some pretty mean stuff, particularly by the time the supercharged cars were rolling around the shop. I think there were eras of Ford perormance which were better, but that is just one man's opinion.

My issue with SVT primarily had to do with their serious aversion to Ford badging or references, their curious habit of dictating what they were willing to do and how to the parent company, and their serious disrespect to historic Ford badges and monikers far more storied than their own. IMO all of these fly directly in the face of SVT's intended mission.

 

Wow. Guess I was under a rock. Care to fill me in on this. My only problem with SVT, was a distinct snob mentality that was pervasive at events they atteneded. And I owned an SVT product. Actally had one guy at the SVT display remark WRT my 98 Cobra that he had no idea how that color combo ever got through to production (Bright Atlantic Blue) on an SVT product. I just wrote it off at the time but the attitude was similar at other times too. I thought I was the only one that was not 100% pro SVT. Interesting to see others had similar feelings.

 

Ah, I get carried away. Suffice it to say that there is more than enough evidence to support the notion that SVT was more worried about SVT than they were about Ford...which makes no sense at all given their mission. The amazing absence of Ford badging on the Mustang Cobra, SVT's poor attitude toward the SVT Focus, SVT's stonewalling of the Marauder....the list goes on.

Ford needs a tuning arm to be certain, but I think they can do a far better job than they did with SVT.

 

The last SVT Cobra and Lightning had the blue oval emblem on the rear. None of the present generation Mustang models have it with the exception of the '05 - '06 which had them on the wheels.

HTT mentioned that the Mustang design was enough to be recognized without crowding it with badges which is the same concept SVT practiced.

 

same thing ford did with the T-bird...no badging whatso ever. Its great that ford has such recognizalble cars.

 

I missed the blue oval on the back of the Terminators. I was aware that Lightnings had always worn the blue oval as did both the SVT Focus and Contour. My issue isn't that I feel that every Ford should wear a blue oval or overtly display the Ford name somewhere on the body. My problem is that SVT made it blatantly obvious that they were more concerned with what SVT could do for SVT than they were in what SVT could do for Ford. And IMO evidence of this can be seen in many little things SVT did along the way, as well as some significant ones, although I was wrong about the SVT Cobra.

Rumours that SVT stonewalled the notion of 'their' engine ending up in a Mercury thereby turning the Marauder into a gelding and likely derailing what could have been a successful car otherwise. The well known issues involving of many of those in SVT who apprently didn't 'want' to do a SVT version of the Focus. SVT's apparent temper tantrum over the latest SVT tweaked Mustang wearing something other than a SVT badge.

A few of these are rumours, but all of them fit into the kind of attitude I've generally some to expect SVT to display which lends them credence. For example, it's difficult to dismiss the Marauder rumour when we know that a large portion of SVT was huffing and puffing over performing work on the Focus. If they'd try and snub a Ford what does that say for their potential attitude towards a Mercury?

Overall the attitude just never seemed to be postive toward Ford IMO. I'm all for the continuation of a tuning arm, and I don't really care what they call it, but it needs to embrace Ford's past and accentuate the positive rather than acting as though they are somehow better than their forebearers.