![]() And theContour has only been out a few years, so it also might be too early totell about its long-term reliability. The switches and knobsand stuff were more plasticky than you'd see on a 3-series. What about this car didn't we like? Well, for one.it's still a Contour!You're not getting a BMW or a Porsche, but rather something from the samecompany that brought you the Pinto and the Fiesta. This car is very European in lookand feel. The very fact that we're talking about it inthe same breath as BMW is proof enough. In other words, this is notyour everyday Ford Contour. It'smade by a small division (actually a subcontractor, we believe) of Fordthat's focusing on projects like this one. The "SVT" part of this Contour includes a tweaked engine, a specialhandling package, a different suspension, and other accouterments. While all this is true, for another $5,000 you could actually buy a realBMW 3-series. Just touch the gas in fifth gear whilegoing up a hill, and VRRROOOOM. On the curvy, hilly roads of northernMassachusetts and southern New Hampshire, it seemed to pull smoothly andstrongly in any gear, at any time. It has a smooth-shifting,five-speed manual transmission, and it holds the road and handles well.The engine was a treat. We think that might be going a little far, but we can appreciate hissentiments. Our Producer, Dougie Berman, likened the Contour SVT to a poor man's 3-seriesBMW. Despite the car's relative unpopularity in terms of sales, it has obtained a cult following in the US, the SVT versions in particular.We liked the Contour SVT. The Kansas City plant was then retooled to build the Ford Escape. Those looking for a mid-sized car tended to purchase the larger Ford Taurus, while those looking for a small sedan tended to purchase the Escort. In the Ford lineup, the Contour was replaced by the Ford Taurus SE (a Taurus trim line, which was introduced in 1998). Japanese carmakers Toyota and Honda offered each only one compact and midsize sedan. Many editors remarked that the car, sized for Europe, had a small interior compared to peers such as the Dodge Stratus, though many praised the car for its European handling and V6 power. The SVT Contour was available primarily by special order by specially designated Ford dealerships.Īfter the 2000 model year, the Contour was cancelled because of decreasing sales. Slowing sales in later model years prompted Ford to cut back production of the Contour, and by 2000 only the SE model and the SVT version remained. Also included with the SVT Contour was new bodywork, seats and trim, white-faced gauges, larger wheels with ultra high performance tires, upgraded brakes and a retuned suspension. The restyle was based on the facelifted Mondeo which had been launched in Europe two years earlier. In 1998, Ford restyled the Contour and added the SVT version, which utilized a specially tuned and modified version of the 2.5 L V6 that produced 195 hp and was only available with a 5-speed manual transmission. The "Sport" model was an option in both SE and GL series. However, in April 1996, Ford produced a "Sport" model in both the 2.0L four cylinder and 2.5L V6. Prices ranged from about US$14,000 for base GL versions to just under US$20,000 for an SE with all available options. A 5-speed manual transmission was standard on all models, with a 4-speed automatic as an option. A 125 hp, 2.0 L Zetec inline four-cylinder engine was standard on the GL and LX models, while a 170 hp 2.5 L Duratec V6, originally designed as a Porsche project before it was sold to Ford, was standard on SE models and optional on the LX model. Initially, three trim levels were available a base GL, a more luxurious LX and a sporty SE trim. By contrast, the European Mondeo was also available as a hatchback and a wagon. The Contour was slightly larger than the Tempo and was only available as a sedan. ![]() The Contour filled the market and size gap between the Escort and the larger Taurus. Development of the Contour, the nearly identical Mercury Mystique and the Mondeo in Europe was a major project for Ford Motor Company reportedly US$6 billion was invested in the development of the CDW27 platform. The platform also underpinned a Mercury version called Mystique and the 1999 to 2002 iteration of the Mercury Cougar.įord introduced the Contour to the North American market in late 1994 to replace the aging Tempo. It was sold in North America from 1995 through 2000. The Ford Contour was a North American variant of the European Ford Mondeo sedan sold by Ford Motor Company. ![]()
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