The Ford Focus SVT: A Forgotten Hero That Will Make You Money

With the arrival of the Brazenly-Blue and incredibly drifty sensation known and the 2016 Ford Focus RS, all that I have been able to think about is I want me some of that! My current position as a fairly-broke student car enthusiast, however, means that I as well as many others, simply h

With the arrival of the Brazenly-Blue and incredibly drifty sensation known and the 2016 Ford Focus RS, all that I have been able to think about is I want me some of that! My current position as a fairly-broke student car enthusiast, however, means that I as well as many others, simply have no way of financially accessing the new Focus RS for the perceivable future.

Now, overseas the European market received the previous 2 generations (3 if you count the 2010 Focus RS500) of Ford’s rather fanatical RS hot-hatchery. So, if one in those lands across the sea wishes to take a bite out of the ludicrous Ford tossability, they have ample room for budget and selection. We in the United States, however, were left out from these earlier generations and never quite received an all-out bonkers model until this year. Sure, we have the Focus and Fiesta ST’s, which are fantastic modern hot hatchbacks, respectively. But those models somewhat lack that sheer nonsensical sensibility of pouring power and other awesome bits into a tiny hatchback and labeling it RS.

Enter: The 2004 Ford Focus SVT

The Ford Focus SVT: A Forgotten Hero That Will Make You Money

With Fiesta and Focus ST’s holding their value securely as well, those of us tight-budgeted American enthusiasts of the hot Ford hatch have only one real direction to turn; 2002’s Ford Focus SVT.

In 2002, we in the U.S. finally received a hot hatch worthy of the particularly exclusive name SVT, or Special Vehicle Team. After lusting over the forbidden fruit known as the Mk. 1 Ford Focus RS overseas, the American public was gifted the Focus SVT. While not quite the RS, the SVT stood to hold position as a very competitive hot hatch in the U.S. market. The Focus SVT achieves a 0-60mph time of 7.5 seconds and goes on to a top speed of 125 mph with 170hp (126.8 kw) and 145 lb-ft of torque. These numbers aren’t impressive by modern standards, but if you take into account that the Focus SVT actually beat Honda at the N/A sport compact game by ten whole horsepower at the time, one can realize how much actual effort went into producing this car for enthusiasts.

The SVT also proves it’s aim for enthusiasts once you look at the other upgrades over the normal Focus. Engine enhancements included the use of a DOHC Zetec four-pot, with updated pistons, cam profiles, a two-stage intake manifold, and variable intake cam timing. Aiding in the SVT’s exhale is freer flowing cats and an exhaust refined to let the Zetec engine growl and rasp how it likes. The presence of a Getrag sourced 6-speed manual further demonstrates the enthusiast-oriented nature of the Focus SVT.

When it comes to handling, the SVT is no American can’t-go-around-corners-quickly-without-a-professional-at-the-wheel quarter-mile-king sort. Completely overhauled suspension and handling bits are laden throughout, including 11.8-inch (300mm) vented front brake rotors and 17-inch alloy wheels encased in 215/45ZR rubber. To hold your buns in place while pulling lateral G’s, deep Recaro front buckets are standard kit.

The Ford Focus SVT: A Forgotten Hero That Will Make You Money

The mods market isn’t quite as large for the SVT as it would be for a Civic Si or similar, but it’s large enough to be able to create a unique beast that you would be proud to call your own. The Mk. 1 Focus is overall kind of quirky in the aesthetics department, but with tasteful mods (like pictured above), I believe that they hold the ability to look absolutely aggressive and imposing on the street.

Why You Should Buy

Considering all of the very attractive features and bits that Ford threw into this little hatch, it’s very surprising how much it’s forgotten nowadays. The Focus SVT came at a time when us Americans were practically begging for something of European taste and pedigree, and the SVT delivered. SVT’s arrived at dealerships with small Euro styling cues that set it apart from all others, and delivered on the quality of handling and driving fun that enthusiasts demanded. This little Ford hatchback hero, with all of the features and go-fast-while-smiling-giddily bits listed above, can be found for just $6,000 (£4,200). A clean and low-mileage example such as This can be found for Just $5,995!

I predict that prices for these little cars are about to go up too. The ever-awaited Focus RS is this year finally arriving on American shores, and once RS’s are commonplace on the streets, many more people with lower budgets are going to discover the awesomeness that is the Focus SVT. Hence, demand will increase and so will prices. So, will you save one of these heroes before they become less accessible by us budgeted enthusiasts?

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Comments

Josh Frament

I’ve seriously considered these as a way to dip my toes in the Ford owner water.

02/01/2016 - 01:30 |
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Me too, they’re really awesome cars.

02/01/2016 - 01:32 |
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I have a suggestion, go for a better SVT like a cobra, the 96-98 cobra is only a little more $ and a much better car

02/01/2016 - 01:33 |
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Trevor Scott

I loved my 02 SVT focus. I blew it up about a year ago and am still trying to figure out what to do with it. But it was such a fun car.

02/01/2016 - 01:39 |
8 | 0

Swap in a mustang ecoboost engine after a year! I’m sure that by that time, plenty will be available after all the daddy’s kids crash their mustangs, thus flooding the junkyards with new mustangs, some of them have to have ecoboosts :D Then couple that with a focus ST transmission and there ya go. Of course, easier said than done…

02/01/2016 - 09:28 |
10 | 0

Use the body to make a bad ass gaming room.

02/01/2016 - 10:28 |
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Mr.PurpleV12

These are cooool cars

02/01/2016 - 01:52 |
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Spontaneous_Aristocrat

I love those SVT’s so much! My dad use to have one in silver, was the best car I’ve ever been in.

02/01/2016 - 01:59 |
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Jambret Chinatown

I would go over this for Focus RS…

02/01/2016 - 05:06 |
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Since this one is Focus ST170

that assembled in the USA on ZX3 platform

02/01/2016 - 05:09 |
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slevo beavo

It may make money in the USA but over in the uk it certainly won’t. Compared to its rivals it was simply outgunned on power and handling by cars such as the civic type r, Leon cupra R and even the octaiva vRS.

However you can pick them up over her for as little as £1200 for a good condition one, so they shouldn’t lose any money.

02/01/2016 - 06:41 |
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That’s certainly true. I was aiming at the American demographic just because the Focus SVT has much fewer rivals over here.

02/01/2016 - 06:57 |
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Bollocks it was more superior than its rivals! 4 seconds faster round the top gear test track than the civic

02/02/2017 - 18:49 |
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Juozas Raklevicius

Im not sure but i heard that they have pretty nasty suspension

02/01/2016 - 07:24 |
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I have the SVT suspension on my ‘03 ford focus and it handles like a dream!

02/02/2016 - 12:56 |
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Pooft Lee

The issue with the svt focus was it’s niche market.

The hot hatch is to europe what the muscle car is to Americans. It’s a go-to if you want to spice up your commute

The hot hatch is an oddball in the American car market because it has to compete with our love affair with muscle cars, and I think that’s what makes the svt focus a soon-to-be-forgotten car. There’s too many better, affordable, alternatives. And the Focus just wasn’t different enough to stand out from its base model like the Mustang SVO, or really any year cobra

02/01/2016 - 08:28 |
2 | 2
InjunS2K

My dad’s “first” car was a silver 02 Ford Focus sedan. It was a company car tha he had when our family just immigrated to the states, ah the memories :D

02/01/2016 - 09:30 |
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That Geo Metro Guy

As a chevy owner and dodge owner, this was the one car that I really liked from ford. The only thing remotely close to this was the neon srt 4 acr. (American Domestic anyway) Dodge hasn’t done anything with the new dart and is possibly missing on a market without making a “hot” dart model.

02/01/2016 - 20:49 |
2 | 0

The Dart has been taken off of FCA’s 5 year plan.. As an owner of both SRT4’s, I wasn’t even looking forward to a new one. I don’t think it would survive in a market with the RS, STI, and R.

02/02/2016 - 18:23 |
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