SVT Ford Contour Review - Grandpa's Sleeper! 

Oh the memories of trying to pass my drivers test in a contour. Have you ever seen an SVT version?

Pop the trunk and you'll find a spare tire, Limp Bizkit's first album and a pair of Jnco jeans

We call them Ford Mondeo st200 in europe

This was my old Contour SVT everybody!! I loved the review David! I sold her almost a year ago today to a great owner who is loving it just as much as I had for about 9 years... I bought it when I was in the Air Force back in 2010 since I needed a cheap, fun, comfortable, and reliable daily instead of my SVT Lightning at the time and gas was almost $4/gal!! I had fun driving and tinkering on it and did most of the mods when I was in the military in my free time at the auto hobby shop on base with friends ha. I literally did every bolt on possible to that car short of a turbo kit I always had a love for these unique, but unusually satisfying cars to drive, and have owned two including this one. David, I am really glad you enjoyed driving the car as much as I did and I loved all your comments about the car. Looks like she still pulls pretty good through the gears! My new DD is a Focus ST, but this car will always have a special place in my heart and had received more compliments and praise in that Contour than any other cars I've owned :-P

THE CONTOUR IN EUROPE IS CALLED THE MONDEO AND THE AMERICAN SVT IS CALLED THE ST Big love from across the pond

that front lip and those rims actually make this look badass

Hahaha, I LOVED this video! The 98 Contour SVT was my very first car. I bought it second-hand, back in 2002, with 58k miles on the clock, for $3,250. This video brings back ALL the memories. Every comment and observation is spot on. 1st and 2nd gear does have good torque. It falls flat on it's face with 3rd, and on. However, it did sound pretty gnarly for such a small displacement V6. It was certainly not always reliable. It lived in the shop from time-to-time.. The water pump failed and the engine overheated - the plastic impeller exploded and left plastic shrapnel everywhere. The clutch seemed to always prematurely wear, and had a rear rattle that no mechanic could ever figure out. Oh, the reverse lights would flash every time I hit a bump. Friends thought that was cool. Cops, not so much. Still, it was my baby, and I loved it. This took me back to the simpler days. Thank you!

Special Vehicle Team sounds cooler than Ford Performance

Only 11,445 made 20 years ago, they're pretty rare these days.

So like a mini SHO Taurus

David in my opinion car like this are the unicorns of the car community as enthusiast sure we gravitate to the popular cars like GTR's, EVO's etc . but these builds like them a lot personally because of how unique they are.

I love the fun funky late 90s Ford cars that SVT messed with. These were the start of the factory hot cars that proved American's wanted more then just V8s and helped bring more the fun cars from other parts of the world to the US. Someone with an early SVT Focus get on into Davids hands.

I love this class of car, a normal shitbox that a company decided to make fast. This, the escort zx2, neon srt4. I love them all.

I owned an '89 SHO, '93 SHO, and then a '95 Contour v6 SE back in the day. All were fantastic cars. Always wanted to own an SVT Contour as well. The '93 SHO is possibly the best all around car I've owned to date and I've owned quite a few cars. Thanks for this review!

This is amazing! My first car was a 1998 Ford SVT Contour, it was in red and was a Honda destroyer in high school lol. I still daily drive it actually :) I will never get rid of her, to many memories.

All the grandpa sleepers getting exposed David stop so we can keep running unsuspecting kids with civics

Man I miss SVT

You can really see that rear end SQUAT at like 6:01 hahah, love it.

I have a black CSVT. It was my first car. It's dead and has been sitting beside my brother's shop for like 10 years. Maybe I'll rebuild it some day. I actually put a Quaife differential, intake and Bosal catback on it. Great first car, I loved it.

def was cool to see this car out there. very rare and neat cars!

Work's dragging, thanks for the entertainment!

I was absolutely in love with my 2000 CSVT. Very under rated car and it certainly had no issues reaching the 140's. It hooked very well with the G-Force tires although, I went through a few sets pretty quickly. I would buy another if I could find a super low mileage example. I wouldn't buy one with more than 45-50k miles though. The majority of them got flogged daily lol. Miss it and wish I never sold it; bottom line.

Dude! I never expected this video, but I thought of suggesting it. I too took my driver's test in a contour. We had 4 of them! The SVT is one of my attainable dreams. I just can't believe you reviewed one!

More fun to experience than the car content itself: your somewhat bemused enthusiasm for it! Thank you for this delightful post.

I like the older fords. Nostalgia / Memories.

I had four of these.. they were cheap bmw fighters. For 10 grand less in town they were every bit as fun. I had several e36s.. they’re a better dynamic being rear drive.. but in 2000, these were boarding on fast and they were definitely fun. Ford did blow up the engine in the first one not changing the oil and saying they did.. late nineties Ford for ya.

I'm so happy you did this review! I've had two of these cars (one silver stock, one black with a 3L modded) and other than the iffy build quality they were a lot of fun. I think they are very sharp looking.

I've always loved how these and the focus svt's looked. Awesome vid!

The only brand new car I ever bought was a 1998 Contour. It was a mid range model but had the V6 and a 5sp manual. The regular spec V6 was rated at 170 hp. The Contour, even the base models, were very athletic cars. They got very positive driving reviews from the enthusiast media - favorably compared with the 3 Series BMW. That was the Ford of Europe influence showing through. Considering they weigh less than 3k lbs, with the V6 they moved out nicely for what is basically a commuter car. The difference with the SVT V6 was it had a ported intake (extrude honed), cams and a little more compression. Those wheel on your test car can't be from a current gen Focus as they are 4 lug. I think they look like the 17" option from 08-11ish Focus models. The stock SVT wheels were 16".

Congrats to the owner! Really fine example of a Contour SVT, loved the wheels and the contrast with the silver paint. Used to have one, still miss it.

Love all of your videos, David! So well done! So entertaining!

I did not expect this lol awesome car review! These are pretty rare(atleast were I live) So it was cool that you got the chance to review one

Interesting review, especially considering thinking about the stock contour, as my friend had one that blew up 3 years ago, so it’s funny to think about the contour as a sports car.

I love svt contours

Bring back old memories of my old SVTC. Same silver color but with the factory spoiler. Loved that car....

I also deleted the factory rear mufflers on mine, so it just had the factory resonator before the y-pipe, and it sounds amazing! Not too loud or raspy whatsoever. Sitting at an idle it sounded especially beefy, and I've had many people say it sounds great, and that it almost sounds like a V8.

Always wanted one and still do.

You got to review a SVT Focus now! I love seeing unique vehicles on here

I love the ford contour! I also took my drivers test in my parents contour sport! I've always wondered what the svt was like because I was always a little said that my dad didn't spring for the svt version! Loved the video and I also love quirky unique cars! It keeps life interesting!

In the sea of all mainstream tuner cars we can see every day it's really cool to see something like this, it reminds me why I love cars and car culture.

Hey man cool car I'm glad you do stuff like this 😁

6:26 "But they(SVT) were willing to touch ANYTHING" I like how SVT gets praised for this quality, but when I'M willing to touch anything it's "creepy", ok double standards

In high school I had a 91 Taurus S.H.O 5speed that had some bolt on stuff and a tune and it was so fun to drive went through alot of front tires being able to burn the tires through 3 gears and face it 150mph + in a family car of the 90s is pretty respectable and holy torque steer.

This is so ironic David... Quick story i just bought and 1998 Ford contour svt, so I have been watching videos on them trying to see what pros and cons are. And there really hasn't been anything. Now one of the best reviewers of all time comes out with a video. Keep doing you Blue!! Thank you!

The most impressive thing about this video is that a Contour lasted 350,000 miles.

I totally get where your coming from. My mom had a contour svt, and I learned to drive on that car... As a 16 year old kid that was an amazing car to me. A few years later I bought a focus svt... And again... Not a super fast car by any means(buddy had an srt4 neon that would eat me), but the sensation while driving them was second to none!

I owned a 1998.5 and a 99. Absolutely two of my favorite cars ever. Iv owned 3 mustangs and many many other cars. I still miss my Contours more then any other car Iv owned. Thanks for the trip down memory lane! Wow. Now I want to buy another. I loved driving that car for days. so comfortable. Thanks for the great review. 👍

I love these style videos - hidden gems that we haven't heard of. Really makes you wonder what else is out there 🤔

That is one underrated performance car for cheap It is like the American Mondeo ST

Yo fam.... My old contour did not sound like that! Im jealous.

I own 2 of these. Both 99s. Absolutely love them. Very fun cars.

Nice review, most of what you said about these cars is spot on. Fun to drive, great handling and that exhaust note is awesome for a small V6. Get these things above 4200RPM and the fun begins. I currently own two of these, a '98 and a '99. Go for the earliest build ones, they seem to be of higher build quality than the later ones. My '98 is going on BaT in a couple of months, the '99 is a 3.0L swapped track car.

My grandfather had a contour. Instead of being quick it had blood stains in the back seat from someone being murdered.

Completely living in the shadow of the first generation Taurus SHO. Is the Contour cool? Absolutely, I love factory sleepers. But if I owned one myself it would 100% be because I couldn't find a gen 1 Taurus SHO that was half way decent.

I always loved the random svt line up that ford did throughout the years. This was one of my favorites.

This is awesome! My mom had a contour until I was 11 or 12 and it was so boring to me. This one, however, was a pretty cool Ford that I had no idea existed! Thanks David!

This is different I like it 🤔

Should check out a Jaguar XType 2.5 Manual Transmission version. It's a really nice Ford Contour with AWD.

Loved this video! Very close to getting my SVTC running. Harness goes bad on these pretty often. I'll have mine in this color very soon, really excited!

i love to see a video about the svtc, I love these cars and personally own 2 of them unfortunately my 3l swapped one blew up the other day but when it ran it's a peppy little car.

The SVT Contour does not, I repeat, DOES NOT, have all wheel/rear wheel steering like the Prelude.

As a previous owner of one of the most iconic SVT Contours, it was cool to see this. The Contour didn’t sell well, which is why it was discontinued after only 5/6 years of production. There is no “rear wheel steering” on the SVT Contour btw. I wish I still had my bagged SVT for you to drive, I’ll share a photo of it with you on insta or Twitter.

That's awesome! I learned to drive in a contour that my grandmother still drives 15 years later.

What a unique car! I love this review as much as the emphasis you place on pronouncing Contour, lots.

Back then, the Ford contour was a cool car..who would of thought it would now be called a grandpa car

called mondeos in britain. always wanted the v6 st.

I love my 99 Silfro. 20 years old and I can still pull up to the show looking good!

Seen a couple of these in person and i'm definitely a fan!

Hey David, why would Subaru make a sports car of a commuter car then? Let's not forget that the wrx STi is just an impreza.

What about the Ford Probe?

it sounds so beautiful that v6 sounds amazing!

Absolutely love the svt contour! My friend Kenyon has 2 of them and my buddy ryan had a regular contour v6 5 spd. They’re such a surprise to drive. They can get decently quick aswell when you swap out the 2.5 duratec for the 3.0 duratec from the 00 and up Taurus.

The 3rd gen mondeo estate and saloon even got a volvo developed and made 2.5t 5 cylinder turbo engine I dont know if that was sold in the US

Got to be onest The contour rear is kinda ugly compared to the mondeo A colleage Just bought a st200 mondeo Rare car here Most are crashed or crushed

Owned two of these: a BRAND NEW 2000 model- Black/Tan and a 1999 with a 3.0L conversion.... Both had full stainless exhausts and were a ton of fun to drive! Decent gas mileage.... Comfortable long distance cruiser..... Decent power. Handling was surprisingly neutral with a *bit* of front push.

Omg I’m so excited to watch this video

Try to find a Volvo 240 wagon

The rear of the european one is way better

My brother has one of these for a short amount of time about a year ago. super fun car!

So cool to see you reviewed Blake’s car! Can’t believe you didn’t get in his focus too!!

Wait isnt this a ford mondeo?

No! Stop giving these attention! I want them to stay cheap!

I used to own a 98 Contour SVT along with a 98 Cobra SVT Convt. Loved those years.

I had a 98 Contour SVT and loved it!

that's just a normal Mondeo, nothing grandpa about it. Just a car for drug addicts or arabs

Props to the owner very Clean SVT. I had a Red 99 Contour SVT had it for a few years till it got totaled in a car accident. Fun car though and pretty quick for what it was!

I love them they are one of my favorite Ford's. I really want an svt contour!

A sleeper for sure! Great video

I like it. It's a cool version of the Ford Mondeo that we get in the UK.... Thatdudeinblue I enjoy your review videos. You've a cool view of car life. I wish you'd add more drive by shots to your reviews, exterior camera shots etc.. Keep up a good channel 👍

I love these. Those wheels look so nice

I drove one of these SVT Contours in 1998. My friend had one and I borrowed it for a few hours. It is the only Ford I have ever wanted.

love these cars, I remember watching then in BTCC racing on the Speed network growing up. very underrated car.

The car is pretty dope, but that intro tune was really good too. Love the music choice in your videos 🔥

One of the best cars Ive ever owned. Not fast but an incredible drivers car.

I love how you brought up for its reliability issues of 20 years ago my uncle bought a Crown Victoria with 69,000 miles 20 years ago tried to driving from California to Oklahoma and the transmission went out and he left it on the side of the road ball Volvo in the same city and it's been driving that car ever since don't get me started on my Explorer but mine is lifted though after I did that and a few other modifications I didn't care about the reliability as long as I can get through this Seattle snow I'm good

love the st200's and any cool quirky/underrated car oriented in being a drivers car! cool review!

i love seeing unique cars like this. someone who build a unique car that nobody would do.

I remember seeing a super clean one with stock wheels on it in my town and I was so confused on to why there was a car with svt badges and was a four door😂 now I know and it's really growing on me watching you drive it

The ford contour svt was my first car it was such an iconic car for me and it was the car that I learned how to drive stick in but I sold it for mazdaspeed3 there’s days where I see old videos of doing burnouts or pulls with the svt and I low key miss it

I like this V6 sound of the SVT Contour. One of my favourite sounding cars by far.