Ford's Special Vehicle Team sold this 195 hp Contour largely by special order, through dealers designated the same way as Mustang Cobra SVTs.
Lead trim: Contour SVT 2.5 Duratec 25 SVT V6 (195 hp; 1998) · up to 200 hp
Ford Contour SVT1998–2000
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Nobody in Burbles has spotted a Ford Contour SVT yet. See one on the street, point the app at it, and the first card is yours — with your @handle permanently credited on this page.
FactFord's Special Vehicle Team sold this 195 hp Contour largely by special order, through dealers designated the same way as Mustang Cobra SVTs.
The SVT Contour was a modified Contour sedan from Ford's Special Vehicle Team, all built at Kansas City Assembly from 1997 to 2000 with a major running change during 1998. Its upgraded 2.5-litre Duratec V6 made 195 hp (200 hp from 1999), paired solely with a 5-speed manual, with re-tuned suspension, upgraded brakes, larger wheels and high-performance tyres, different seats and trim, white-face instruments and new bodywork. In line with the Mustang SVT Cobras it was available primarily by special order at specially designated Ford dealerships; production was 4,485 in 1998, 2,050 for 1998.5, 2,760 in 1999 and 2,150 in 2000 — 11,445 in all. The late-1998 ("1998.5") cars gained Cobra-style SVT alloys, SVT-specific Goodyear Eagle F1 tyres and different strut valving that raised skid-pad numbers from 0.84 to 0.90 g; for 1999 the engine gained 5 hp from abrasive flow machining of the intake ports, Tropic Green was offered and BF Goodrich KDW 215/50-16 tyres fitted, and for 2000 a rear spoiler option arrived. It shares its powertrain with the Mondeo ST200.
Collectors Spotted in the Ford Contour Lineage
No member has published a public street spot of the Ford Contour yet — the First · Worldwide stamp is wide open.
Trims & Figures
2 published trims in the catalogue. A blank is a figure not recorded, not zero.
| Trim | Years | Engine | Power | Torque | 0–60 | Drive | Gearbox | MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Contour SVT 2.5 Duratec 25 SVT V6 (195 hp; 1998) | 1998–1998 | 2.5 L V6 | 195 hp | 165 lb-ft | — | — | manual | — |
| Contour SVT 2.5 Duratec 25 SVT V6 (200 hp; 1999–2000) | 1999–2000 | 2.5 L V6 | 200 hp | 169 lb-ft | — | — | manual | — |
Owning one
We don’t estimate running costs for a car like this. What it costs depends on its condition, its specialist and how it is driven, and an average would mislead.
Owners’ builds
Nobody has claimed one yet.
Photographs
Ford's Special Vehicle Team sold this 195 hp Contour largely by special order, through dealers designated the same way as Mustang Cobra SVTs.
Car and Driver named the Contour to its Ten Best list three years running — then in 2009 apologized for most of its old picks. The Contour was the one they refused to fully take back.
Rivals
Same body, same money, other badges — tap any card to flip.
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