Starting with Ford's DOHC 16-valve Zetec four, the SVT Engineering troops bolted in new pistons to raise compression from 9.6:1 to 10.2:1, changed the cam profiles, and added variable intake-cam timing, a two-stage intake manifold, new exhaust headers, a low-restriction catalytic converter, and a more open muffler that also lends a note of refined menace at the tailpipe. There are no mysteries in this power gain. Not too astonishing, in light of the SVT's power advantage-170 horsepower and 145 pound-feet of torque. We won't know how much quicker the SVT version is until we get a production car to the test track, but it may be at least a second faster to 60 mph, maybe more. The Zetec's enhanced potency is mated to a six-speed Getrag gearbox rather than the standard Focus five-speed manual, and it's a slick setup that puts an exclamation point on the powertrain upgrades. With 130 hp and 135 pound-feet of torque, the ZX3 needs 8.7 seconds to hit 60 mph. That's a pretty significant limitation, though. To review: The raw material here is the Focus ZX3, a nifty compact three-door hatchback with a fun-to-drive quotient limited only by its power. Still, we agree that the Focus SVT is one of the more entertaining Fords we've seen in a long time. True, there are a couple guys here who wistfully point out that there's an even hairier Euro Focus due, the 220-hp turbocharged Focus RS, and that it'll never set foot in Ford stores on these shores. edition of this mini-marauder from becoming a watered-down version of the European Focus ST170.Īnd they were successful. Chief engineer John Coletti and his wild bunch groveled, kicked, screamed, and fought to keep the U.S. And it represents a point of particular pride to the staff at Ford SVT Engineering, the get-it-done arm of the Special Vehicle Team. ![]() The SVT Focus is a refreshing departure from that tradition of faux Ford hot rods, a small-scale street tiger that burns particularly bright against the dreary backdrop of the badge jobs of the past.
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