SVT Mustang Engine Problem Halts Production

BY MARK PHELAN DETROIT FREE PRESS BUSINESS WRITER

Dearborn , October 29, 2002; Mark Phelan wrting for The Detroit Free Press reported that Ford Motor Co. has halted production of its high-performance 2003 SVT Mustang Cobra due to a problem with the car's supercharged engine, union sources say.

Ford confirmed to the reporter that production at its Dearborn assembly plant was suspended Oct. 7 and is to resume Nov. 12. UAW sources and Blueovalnews.com, a Web site frequented by disgruntled Ford workers, say the problem involves the Cobra's 390-horsepower, 4.6L V8 engine. The automaker would not deny that a problem with the engine was responsible, saying the problem is "the sort of thing that happens quite a bit at any assembly plant. It's not an issue we need to go into detail about. It was the sort of quality issue we find in our normal processes."

None of the cars with the defect was shipped to dealers or customers, Ford said. "No cars got into the field with the problem. Our dealers were informed, and we have rescheduled all the customers."

Engineers corrected the problem in about two weeks, Ford said. The remainder of the production halt is due to time it takes to reschedule parts supplies for the low-volume car.

Ford began producing the limited-edition Cobra in June. The Dearborn plant usually builds 80 a day, but Ford said the shutdown would not affect its target of selling 12,000 of the cars for the model year. Ford will increase assembly line speed or keep the car in production longer than planned. The SVT coupe sells for $34,750 and the convertible $38,995, making it one of Ford's most profitable models.