What Does SVT Stand For On Ford Vehicles?

A lot of car manufacturers have a performance division, and Ford is no exception. SVT is a special division of Ford that's focused on creating high-performance and sometimes speedier versions of some of its popular cars and pickups. It's been known as Ford Performance since 2017, so don't feel bad if you weren't quite sure what SVT meant. 

Over the years, Ford has offered a wide range of SVT models. This includes the Ford SVT F-150 Lightning, which came out the year the SVT was founded back in 1993 and had higher horsepower than the original version. The Ford SVT Mustang Cobra came out the same year, offering an R version focused on racing that outperformed the GT trim at the time. Another example is the Ford SVT Focus, which came out in 2002 and lasted till 2005, bringing more horsepower to the family car. In 2007, Ford revealed the first version of the extremely powerful Shelby Mustang GT500.

If you've come across a Ford vehicle with "SVT" in its name, you're looking at a vehicle in the Ford Special Vehicles Team. Ford created the SVT in 1991, tasking engineers and marketers with finding niche opportunities in the automotive market. The goal was to create high-performance, limited-production cars and pickup trucks that were meant to exude not just performance but exclusivity and value. In 1992, the team revealed the 1993 SVT Mustang Cobra and SVT F-150 Lightning at the Chicago Auto Show. After releasing special vehicles throughout the '90s, 2000s, and 2010s, the SVT teamed up with Team RS in Europe to become Ford Performance — their first vehicle was the sporty Focus ST. 

When the new team released the 2013 Shelby GT500, SVT Chief Engineer Jamal Hameedi said: "In the past 20 years, SVT has engineered world-class mid-engine supercars, front-wheel drive performance cars, rear-wheel drive muscle cars, and high performance on-road and off-road pickup trucks. There is no other performance house in the world that can match that diverse resume."