![]() The suspension almost feels too soft when rounding a tight curve quickly or driving over a large bump in the road. The four-wheel independent suspension does a credible job of managing the bumps and curves, but I feel as if the car could use a stiffer set of springs. It delivers plenty of power and offers a level of refinement that is uncommon in this price range. The SVT is a joy to drive in the city or on the open road. The SVT is easy to shift because the clutch pedal is light and the shifter moves smoothly through the gears. There’s no automatic transmission available, but no matter. Our dark red test car came standard with a five-speed manual gearbox. The engine pulls hard at all speeds, giving the car a flingable, flexible demeanor. The engine makes a hint of a growl when revved, but otherwise it’s exceptionally smooth and very quiet. The result: 0-to-60 mph in a respectable 7.9 seconds, down from about 9 seconds in a regular V-6-powered Contour/Mystique. The pistons, cylinder heads and intake and exhaust systems have been modified. To get the extra power, SVT engineers tweaked the engine so that it breathes more efficiently. In the standard Contour and Mystique, the 2.5-liter engine is rated at 170 horsepower. ![]() The SVT’s beefy 2.5-liter engine makes 195 horsepower. The Contour SVT comes with a souped-up version of the Duratec 24-valve double-overhead cam engine Ford uses in standard Contours and the car’s close cousin, the Mercury Mystique.
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