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2002 Ford Focus SVT
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The Brits have a term for the real thing: "street cred," i.e., credibility. Posers need not apply. That the 2002 SVT Ford Focus has it was apparent as soon as it rolled to a stop in the staging area for the Sports Car Club of America's Detroit Region solo event at the Palace of Auburn Hills. Through the good offices of the region, I was given the opportunity to wring the car out on the course and gather informal reactions from hard-core enthusiasts.
A swarm of Focus owners immediately descended on the car, poking, prodding and asking questions about a car that doesn't look much different from a box-stock ZX3. Of course, the trained eye (and ZX3 owners have pairs of them) notices the European-style grille, the slightly lower ride height, the chromed exhaust tip, folding heated mirrors and, of course, the SVT badge.
But the street cred comes not from what's on the Focus, but what's in it. It starts with the pumped-up 2.0-liter Zetec inline-4, which makes 40 bhp and 10 lb.-ft. of torque more than the ZX3's 130 bhp and 135 lb.-ft., and is mated to a 6-speed Getrag gearbox.
The SVT Focus also boasts more supportive sport seats, a couple of extra gauges (oil temperature and pressure), an aluminum pedal cluster, 17-in. 5-spoke alloy wheels shod with P215/45R-17 ContiSport-Contact tires and 4-wheel disc brakes with 11.8-in. front and 11.0-in. rear rotors. Putting that extra engine and stopping power to the ground is a suspension that features revised spring and shock rates and new bushings.
All this for a sticker price of $17,995.
The complete nature of the SVT package impressed the Focusphiles — many of whom had easily invested more than the extra $5000 the package represents over the base $13,000 ZX3 in their cars.
With the use of a dual-stage intake manifold and variable cam timing on the intake side, the Zetec engine feels freer-revving (redline is up nearly 500 revs to 7200 rpm), allow- ing much quicker access to the meat of the powerband. A higher compression ratio (10.2:1, up from 9.6:1), larger intake ports, lightweight cast-aluminum pistons and a tuned exhaust header contribute to this extra muscle. At 2200 rpm, 85 percent of the torque is available, while the power plateau starts just after the 145-lb.-ft. torque peak at 5500 rpm. The 170 bhp is reached at 7000 rpm.
The new Getrag gearbox nicely complements this combination of low-end torque and long legs at the top of the rev range. Close spacing of the gears gives the SVT Focus its willing spirit. There's never a feeling that the engine falls off a step when shifting gears — there's an abundant amount of overlap in steady-state cruising that allows you to fine-tune the application of power. Gear changes are intuitive, with sure throws and nicely balanced effort on clutch take-up.
The SVT Focus' suspension invites hard driving by being firm, but not punishing. The standard ZX3's chassis, with its MacPherson struts up front and multilink rear with the unique control-blade layout, has been a standout among small cars. SVT puts a finer edge on this setup with stiffer shock absorbers, 21-mm anti-roll bars and stiffer spring rates of 129 lb. front (up 10 percent) and 157 lb. rear (a 20-percent gain). According to John Coletti, who heads SVT Engineering, it's the same setup used on the ST170, the SVT Focus' European sibling.
The steadiness of the handling is also reflected in the sureness of the braking. The 4-wheel disc brakes (single-piston caliper, vented front; solid rear) with 4 channel ABS have a solid, linear feel with no noticeable fade even as smoke wafted from the wheel wells between runs.
The SVT Focus is a great autocross stormer, a real hoot to pitch around the cones. While giving some Focus owners rides around the course, I got the biggest thumbs-up for the seats, the controlled nature of the suspension and the fact that the engine has more power and the transmission has an extra gear.
When the car was parked, pokers and prodders also liked the optional power sunroof ($595) and the 290-watt Audiophile system with an in-dash 6-CD changer ($675). The only other option offered on the SVT Focus is a $395 winter package that includes traction control and heated front seats. All told, a fully loaded SVT Focus won't break $20,000.
Given the reaction (as well as the number of people who said they already have one on order), SVT will find its goal of selling 7500 is easily attainable. Limited availability, good performance and a low sticker may do more than boost Ford's street cred; it's the stuff of legend.
Text Source: Road & Track
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