1/5/2023 0 Comments Ford contourThough to be fair, both cars lost to the Honda Prelude. Not the E36 M3, mind you, but the regular 3 Series. #FORD CONTOUR SERIES#Hence why the then-contemporary E36 BMW 3 Series beat the Ford in overall handling and performance. By that, I mean that it sacrifices a bit of sharpness in the name of daily comfort.įor example, while it is stiffer than the standard sedan, the Contour SVT is “too softly sprung” to be a true sports sedan, Road & Track says. RELATED: The Pontiac Sunfire GT Is a 90s Sleeper Sports Coupe That You All Slept onĪlthough the Ford Contour SVT is faster and sportier than the regular Contour, it’s still a FWD family sedan. This fun BMW 3 Series alternative is a truly spirited sedan But that’s not quite what the Ford Contour SVT is. And in 1999, Ford re-tuned the ECU and honed the intakes further to add even more power.Īll this added up to what some called “’a budget-friendly American version of…a BMW M3 sedan,’” Hagerty reports. Plus, that V6 sings out of dual stainless-steel exhaust pipes. #FORD CONTOUR MANUAL#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.1998-2000 Ford Contour SVT article highlights:
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