By Bryan Redeker

While touring SVT, I asked Patrick if they still had the 2.5L V6 powered European Focus. He responded that where we are going next has something much better. We walked past the Ford GT engine in the hallway, turned the corner, and went thru the doors into the work shop. A large garage full of lifts, machining equipment, and people wrenching on all sorts of stuff greeted us. Guys in dress pants and shirts are working on a number of Raptor trucks, GT500 prototypes sitting on lifts, stacks of experimental parts, and rows of wheels and tires. On the wall is the Ford GT that was used at the NAIAS display. This place just keeps on getting better. After a quick walk thru the shop, we head outside.

Just outside the garage door sits a row of GT500 prototypes in various stages of development. Many of which I will not tell you about. I saw the prototype front grille that were first tested, but changed due to the placement of the air intake. Just past the GT500’s was an entire row of Ford GT’s, including a few of the Gulf inspired “Heritage Editions” and a 2000 Cobra R. There was even a Fiesta sedan that was missing the motor. Ford Racing has the engine, and I assume they are working on some goodies. All I will say about the sedan is that it reminds of the Mondeo, which is a good thing. I also saw GT500’s with camo, and a few with some special things on them. What kind of things? I can’t say, but I liked what I saw. Then we came to Holy Grail of small Fords. Sitting in the back of SVT, with a halo of goodness surrounding it, sits a white European Focus. What is so special about this Focus? Well, it  has massive wheels, sticky tires, huge brakes, aggressive lower air intake with intercooler, heat extractor vents in the hood, widened fenders, a large wing off the back, diffuser under the rear bumper, carbon fibre trim, and special seats. This was the RS. Sitting there, just begging to be taken out onto the race track. To be standing in its presence is truly amazing. The car looks like it is ready to take on any STi or Evo, and beat it badly. This car is the anti-Prius, and it is exactly what I want. Please Sara, can I get one?

After seeing the back lot at SVT, Patrick met us out front of the building in a new Raptor truck. I don’t like trucks, I don’t understand trucks, and I don’t know why you would want a truck. However, when you see the Raptor, it looks like a truck that I would build. Motorsports is a big part of who I am, and the Raptor is a truck that looks like it just came from Baja. It has the look of pure function, and no lick-n-stick crap all over it. This is not just a decal on the back that says off-road, this thing is the real deal. Cast aluminum control arms, big brakes, coil-overs, Fox shocks, wide wheels and tires, and switches on the dash. Yep, this is a real off-road race truck. Patrick took us for a ride, and I was very impressed with the 6.2L V8 and how the engine mapping can be changed with a flip of a toggle. All of the electronics on this thing is meant to work off road. Grab your helmet, put some numbers on the door, and you can race Baja! I came away with a ton of respect for the Raptor. The nice thing about SVT is that when they make something, it really works. It is a package that works on the track and the street. I have tried to do that on my own, and it never works. It is either too much of a race car, or too much of a street car. You can’t beat what SVT does!