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 The SVT Contour's 16.0 x 6.5 inch five-spoke alloy wheels are wrapped with 205/55ZR-16 Goodyear GS-C radials. The Goodyear GS-C wet-weather technology is directly derived from Goodyear experience with Formula One and Indy car rain tires. |
Suspension Design
The front suspension is a modified MacPherson-type design, with an A-arm, strut, and specially designed 19mm stabilizer bar. Steering is accomplished with a power-assisted rack and pinion system. The rear suspension is comprised of one lower trailing arm, two transverse links, a strut, and a coil spring. The rear stabilizer bar measures 18mm. A small measure of passive rear-wheel steer is designed into the rear suspension. The 16.0 x 6.5 in. painted cast alloy wheels are shod with 205/55ZR-16 Goodyear GS-C radials.
 The SVT Contour features 10.98-inch front and 9.88-inch rear disc brakes. |
Braking System
The SVT Contour has 10.94-inch vented front discs that were first tried and proven as performance equipment on the Ford Mondeo, the highly acclaimed European cousin of the Contour. The iron rotors feature internal vanes that allow for effective and rapid dissipation of the heat that builds up under hard braking. The four-wheel vented disc brakes on the SVT Contour are capable of smooth and effective deceleration—corner after corner, on test track or back road—without significant fade.
The SVT Contour brakes are monitored and controlled by a four-channel, four-sensor ABS system that can modulate and adjust each of the four calipers every 10 milliseconds. The system gives the SVT Contour short braking distances (60-0 mph in 130 feet) with excellent pedal modulation and limited pedal kickback under ABS braking—without wheel lock-up.
 The SVT Contour interior features perforated leather on the seating surfaces. The seats themselves, both front and rear, feature improved lateral bolstering. The driver's seat is ten-way adjustable. |
Visual Distinctions, Amenities, Production Plants
To complement the powertrain and chassis development, the 1998 SVT Contour is visually distinguished by numerous other refinements. As with all 1998 Contour models, the tail lamps, hood, and head lamps are new for 1998. The front fascia with round fog lamps is unique to SVT, as are the rear valance panel, rocker sill extensions, grille texture, and stainless steel exhaust tips. The front fascia includes ducting to improve the cooling system’s performance. The SVT Contour is available in Black Clearcoat, Silver Frost Clearcoat Metallic, and Toreador Red Clearcoat Metallic.
 The SVT Contour features a unique gauge package, including a 160-mph speedometer and 8,000rpm tachometer, redlined at 6,750rpm. |
Inside, the SVT Contour features perforated leather on all seating surfaces. The steering wheel, and shifter boot and knob, are also leather-wrapped. The driver’s seat features ten-way power adjustment, including power lumbar. The front seat’s lateral bolstering is accentuated on both the seat bottom and the seatback, and the rear seat bottom has been given greater bolstering to more firmly hold the two rear passengers. The white-faced gauges, an SVT design signature since 1993, provide excellent legibility.
Driver amenities include an air filtration system that removes over 90 percent of particles larger than three microns in size. A feature once available only on expensive luxury cars, this filtration system will be especially appreciated by those who suffer with hay fever and asthma. The SVT Contour also comes with standard power door locks and windows, speed control, a tilt steering wheel and column, air conditioning, dual air bags to supplement the safety belts, remote keyless entry, power antenna, and an AM/FM stereo cassette with Premium Sound. The only optional equipment is a CD player, and a power moonroof with sliding sunshade.
The SVT Contour Duratec powerplant is produced at the Ford Cleveland Engine Plant, and the car is built at the Ford Kansas City Assembly Plant. Upon completion, every SVT Contour is inspected by a specially trained technician who follows an SVT checklist.
Anti-Theft System
To protect your 1998 SVT Contour, Ford has included a Passive Anti-Theft System (PATS). Each Contour key carries a radio transponder that contains a unique code selected from a potential of 72 million billion combinations. An antenna located in the steering column "interrogates" the key, then the key code is transmitted to a control module, where it is compared to the codes stored in the control module. If the key’s code matches, a signal is sent to the EEC-V system to "enable" the engine to run. If the key code does not match or if no encoded key is detected, the EEC-V system will not allow the engine to run. Up to 16 additional keys can be programmed by a dealer to operate the vehicle provided an original key is available at the same time. The effectiveness of this system was proven in 1996, as the theft rate for PATS-equipped 1996 Mustang GT and SVT Cobra models dropped by 77 percent compared to rates for non-PATS-equipped 1995 Mustang GT and SVT Cobra models.*
Competition Debut
In the earliest stages of development, an SVT Contour prototype was entered in the infamous 24 Hours of Nelson, an endurance road race held at Nelson Ledges, Ohio. A team of drivers from Car and Driver magazine and Ford product development drove the car. At the conclusion of their article about the project and the race, Car and Driver said, "And frankly, the setup that Ford has already developed makes C/D want to nose a Contour SVT to Angeles Crest Highway...."
*Theft-rate data courtesy of the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB). NICB data compares theft rates of 1995 Mustang GTs to 1996 PATS-equipped Mustang GTs.
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