Vehicle Description
In the 80s, the fate of the V8 was very much in jeopardy, but Ford
was hedging their bets with the wonderfully potent SVO Mustang.
This 1986 example is one of only 3314 built in the final year of
production, and brought a potent turbocharged engine, 4-wheel disc
brakes, and a very unique look, making it a fast, fun, and rare
pony car.
This nasty little SVO wears a shiny coat of black paint, and as the
car's original color and having seen 1980s Ford paint, it looks
quite a bit better than it would have new, although the paint is
now a few years old. The shape is familiar to any Mustang fan, but
thanks to a special nose with flush-fitting headlights, the offset
hood scoop that feeds the top-mounted intercooler, and that
oh-so-80s biplane rear spoiler, the SVO has a totally unique look.
During the repaint, it also got a cool satin black stripe on the
hood that follows the line set by the grille at the base of the
windshield, a custom look that we like a whole lot. And while a lot
of V8 Mustangs were abused and beaten at the track, it seems that
the more sophisticated SVO and its European-inspired personality
was treated differently. Keeping it subtle, the only badges on the
car are the Ford emblems fore and aft, plus the tiny SVO insignias
on the front fenders where the ubiquitous 5.0 usually lives.
Nevertheless, this car looks downright nasty crouching on those big
18-inch wheels.
Inside, the SVO was equipped much like its GT brothers, with
body-hugging cloth buckets that do a great job of holding you in
place during spirited driving. They're original and in good
condition, but show the usual signs of use and time now that this
car is 30 years old. The gauges are all fully functional, including
the console-mounted information center. And if originality matters,
the factory-issued AM/FM/cassette stereo is still in place. A
genuine leather-wrapped wheel (showing its age) and matching
shifter knob were part of the SVO's special equipment (this one now
sports a short shifter with a shiny billet knob), and things like
A/C, power windows and locks, and a folding rear seat were standard
equipment. Door panels and carpets are in great shape, even in the
hatch area, and of note, this car has neither T-tops nor a sunroof,
making it feel tight and solid, even today. There's some evidence
of age throughout, but someone has clearly taken very good care of
this car.
It would be a very big mistake to under-estimate the potent
2.3-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, which in stock trim
put out more horsepower than the mighty 5.0 V8 in 1986 (205 versus
200). The motor is typically a bulletproof little powerhouse, and
this one runs extremely well and remains completely stock, so you
know it hasn't been abused with too much boost from a big turbo or
something like that. Linked to a slick-shifting T5 5-speed manual,
it loves to dance and revs are your friend, so the 3.73 gears on a
Trac-Lock limited slip are a great choice. Koni shocks were also
standard equipment, and if you've ever been near a track, you know
they're the tool of choice for keeping the tires connected to the
pavement. And the SVO carries 4-wheel discs and 5-lug hubs, which,
for some reason, never trickled down to the rest of the lineup but
are very welcome here. Blacked-out Motegi Racing alloys have been
fitted, now wearing big 225/40/18 performance radials.
Future collectable and still a blast to drive, this SVO shows you
one path to Ford's future that is still very much relevant today.
Call now!
