In addition, the five-speed manual connects to a lighter flywheel. However, it has a larger throttle body, high-capacity air cleaner, oil cooler, extrude-honed intakes, different camshafts, and upgraded pistons. Like the Contour SE, the Ford Contour SVT has a 2.5-liter V6. The biggest upgrades, though, are under the hood. And yes, the SVT version does have different body panels as well as a faux rear diffuser, but it also has bolstered front sports seats. The Contour SVT also has bigger four-wheel disc brakes and different wheels with grippier tires than the regular Ford Contour. And the SVT version enhanced that, as well as its performance, several times over.įirstly, the SVT engineers installed new springs and shock vales as well as a thinner front anti-roll bar. Thanks to its stiffer unibody chassis and independent suspension with passive rear steering, the regular Contour had distinctly un-American handling for an entry-level FWD sedan. However, it’s worth remembering that compared to its predecessor, the Tempo, the Contour “was a mechanical revolution on every front,” Hagerty says. So, after developing the SVT F-150 Lightning and Mustang Cobra, the engineers created the 1998 Contour SVT.Īt first glance, the Contour SVT just looks like a regular Ford Contour with a body kit. But someone on Ford’s Special Vehicle Team (SVT) thought it could make a decent BMW 3 Series rival. Bigger than the Focus but smaller than the Taurus, the standard Contour was a decent but bland FWD family sedan. The 1998-2000 Ford Contour SVT tried to be a budget FWD BMW M3 2000 Ford Contour SVT | Fordįor those who understandably forgot about the Contour, it was a North American version of the Mondeo sedan Ford sold overseas. And at the tail end of the 1990s, Ford tried taking it on with the Contour SVT. For example, Lexus has the IS F Sport, while Cadillac has its CT4-V sedans. And it’s one many other automakers have tried to meet or beat. Whether it’s the regular 3 Series or the M3, BMW’s iconic sports sedan is a performance benchmark for a reason. Owing to low production numbers, wrenching difficulties, and modifications, clean ones are hard to find, though most examples cost less than $10,000.Although not quite as sharp as the 3 Series, the Contour SVT is still a more-than-decent FWD sports sedan with a great V6 soundtrack.The Ford Contour SVT was designed to be an affordable front-wheel-drive rival to the BMW 3 Series.To ensure optimum engine performance, SVT adapted the cooling system used by platformmate Ford Mondeo in Europe, and installed an oil cooler to further help keep temperatures under control.1998-2000 Ford Contour SVT article highlights: The sound is delightfully devilish at wide-open throttle, yet not obnoxious at highway cruising speeds. Air is drawn through a large-capacity conical air cleaner and routed through a 2.25-inch stainless-steel exhaust system split into two mufflers with polished tips. Several SVT components supplanted stock units: specially ground camshafts, an increased-diameter throttle body, hypereutectic pistons, and a lighter flywheel. Applying a proven tuner trick to the aluminum powerplant, SVT used the Extrude Hone polishing procedure to maximize flow through the upper intake manifold and cylinder-head intake ports. Despite the attractive cosmetic upgrades, SVT's talents were best applied under the hood, massaging the available 2.5-liter/170-horsepower DOHC Duratec V-6 into an energetic 195-horse premium-fuel-slurper.
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