Next generation SVT Focus ..

[DSures]

I've been reading a lot of forums since i received my svt focus .. and i pay attention to posts regarding the svt focus .. i notice that a lot of svt focus owners get excited when they read about the next generation svt foci ideas .. and i get excited too .. however, tonight i feel bad .. i feel bad because the chance of getting one of these next generation foci is pretty slim for me ..

i ordered the zx3 before it was sold in north america .. i sat around for 3 months without a car waiting,, .. and waiting .. and when i finally got it: yah i was a bit dissapointed .. but it was worth it .. after watching mcrae throw his focus around, i wanted soem of that action .. the dissapointment was finding out how different the vehicle was from the european model ..

so i drove that 2000 zx3 until the SVT focus was released in canada .. during that time, i attended focus meetings held by the original club-focus, and meetings held by ford themself .. i met ford engineers and had conversations with svt personnel about my ICE .. i spent hours / day on club focus discussing with other foci owners .. talking about our cars and what we're going to do with them .. and most importantly, hoping ford would release the SVT ..

now i'm not saying i'm dissapointed in the current SVT .. but what i am saying is my anxiety has worn off and been replaced with jelousy for the next SVT releases .. i can't afford to keep buying new cars everytime they release a new focus model ...

i know i know, not many ppl can .. but that is my point .. most of us aren't "most ppl" .. we're the ppl that started the focus modding community ... we're the ones that made our own performance parts when there were no parts .. we're the ones who practically begged ford everychance we had to release the SVT focus ..

so what is this rant really about? it's about this: i feel i got ripped off by ford on this svt focus .. i bought it as soon as i could here in calgary canada .. and i paid a lot of money .. i paid as much money as a GTI VR6 fully loaded ... (no i'm not dissing the focus, i still like it) .. i'm dissing ford .. i'm saying that now these rebates are occuring, lower lease rates, etc .. and i spend practically ALL my savings on this car .. and now ppl are getting them (2 months later then me) for $6-8K less!!! :( :( :( :(

if ford wants to keep people interested in the focus, they're going to need more incentive to keep people around .. i have to say that i'm losing faith .. i don't much feel part of any "club" anymore ... i feel that ford took our interest during its rough times with the focus, and ran with it ..

so what do i want? i want my rebate too! i've only had the car for 2 months 1 week .. why the heck don't i get it?

I also want promotional options on the next SVT release .. i want to see SVT/Ford do research into their customer database .. and notice the people that sold their older Fords to buy the ZX3 and sell that to bu the SVT ..

i've been around since the beginning, sold and bought .. and i don't see any thanx from ford .. they haven't noticed us!! why haven't you noticed us ford?

[SVTfcs]

I feel somewhat obligated to answer your questions, and comment on your disbelief of the Ford brand.

I will start by saying this: I completely agree with you that Europe gets some very cool cars. Then we, as Americans, get a "scaled down" version of the vehicle. This does not just happen with the Ford brand however, every company does this. I'll tell you what, if Ford ever brings the Mondeo to the U.S., instead of the "toned down" Contour, then proceeds to release an SVT Mondeo (hatchback of course!), I will be the first in line at the dealership to order one!

Now, I'm going to pretend that I'm a phychologist for a minute. You seem like the type of person that must have the latest equipment avaliable. There is absolutely no problem with this at all. In fact, I actually consider people like you to be pioneers of technology.

I'll use an analogy of electronics: I recently bought a T.V. set at Best Buy (Sony Wega, flat screen, nice TV!). This thing has some kind of special optic glass, artificial "surround sound" and many other features that I find amazing (technologically speaking) for $450.00. I'm sure that at some point someone paid more than double this price. Did this person get ripped off by Sony? I don't think so.

I'm using this scenerio, because I feel that our SVT foci are also a remarkable technological feat. I think that they are one of the most carefully engineered cars available for under $20K.

You see, What I'm trying to say is that if it wasn't for people like you who boldly invest in the "latest and greatest," everyone else, may never get to apreciate this technology.

I hope that you don't feel like you got ripped off by Ford. You can keep driving your current SVT focus when the "new and improved" model comes out (by the way you make it sound, your's will be pretty hopped up by this time with mods). Or I will admire your decision to hit your bank account and purchase the new one.

You are also now a member of a very exclusive club, SVTOA. I don't know about you, but when I registered these guys actually checked the VIN # on my car. This assures me that not just any shmuck can join our elite club.

And don't even get me started on how much better your car is than a VW GTI...

:cool:

[deactivated]

it's really all about choice. I'm sure if you had a chance to talk to 93 Cobra owners or 95 Lightning owners they might sympathize with you a little bit. But think about it, can progress stand still? I would hope not. I would hope that each version is better than the last. However with that said think about what people remember first. Do people remember the original 64 mustang or the 84 Mustang more fondly? It doesn't always pay to be last just to have the best, because something always better comes out.


About the rebate thing....yeah I think maybe for the first time in history SVT applied rebates to their vehicles. If someone knows of a time they have please correct me. I think this was a bad thing for Ford to do, but the fact is these cars were selling extremely poorly for SVT. I don't need a marketing report to tell me this when all I had to do is go out to the local dealer lot and see tons of them sitting. Now it was not their intention to have to do this....they always go into the market hoping that they are going to sell them all before the end of the year. I would be glad you have an SVT Focus now, cause I don't think in a few years there will be an SVT Focus....at least not the way we see it now.

[SVTMAN28]

check these out:bna

[SVTMAN28]

more from sema. above is the 2003 svt focus euro package.
and the rest ore some conversions

[SVTMAN28]

from phase X

[J-Rod]

Is it me, or doesn that Euro SVT look pink :confused:

I hope its just the lighting

[2003SVTF]

Mabe it's the Barbie Edition!:D

[deactivated]

oh it's got to be the lighting....I remember the Sonic Blue would look purple in certain lighting.....those show lights are ultra harsh.

[GapBoyPCS]

Originally posted by J-Rod
Is it me, or doesn that Euro SVT look pink :confused:

I hope its just the lighting

I think it's Competition Orange :)

Let's hope this isn't the prelude to that Coral snafu with Ford a few years back :rolleyes:

[Osiris]

As long as Ford does 3 things. I'll never complain about them again.

1) Kick the **** out of the SRT-4 Neon. My new SVTF may not hold a candle to it's engine performance numbers, but I hope the next SVTF does.

2) Get that fargin' Mondeo over here JUST AS IT SITS in Europe. I drove one while in Denmark and fell in LOVE with it. Make a hi-po model and reincarnate the SHO nameplate. Trust me, this will light a very big fire with alot of die hard enthusiasts. Oh yeah, I'd be happy with an Aussie Ford Falcon also. If GM can do it, you sure as heck can. The new performance version has got to be the sexiest 4 door on this planet, and we don't get it. That sucks....

3) The GenIII SHOs are having problems. Please Ford, take care of this. I love my 7 year old SHO as much as my new car, sometimes even more. All of us feel this way, believe me.