Ford halts production of ’03 SVT Mustang Cobra

admin//October 30, 2002//

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Ford Motor Co., citing quality concerns, said it temporarily halted production of its high-performance 2003 SVT Mustang Cobra.

Ford stopped building the limited-edition version of the Mustang about two weeks ago, Alan Hall, a spokesman for Ford’s Special Vehicle Team operations, told The Detroit News for a story yesterday.

Hall declined to specify the problems that led to the stoppage, but said that they have been fixed and that production at the Dearborn Assembly Plant will resume Nov. 12.

“It was something that was caught at the plant and it’s something that hopefully has been resolved,” Hall said. “It was part of our regular process to ensure quality.”

The Detroit Free Press reported that the problem involved the car’s supercharged engine. None of the cars with the problem was shipped to dealers or customers.

In 1999, Ford recalled 5,300 1999 SVT Mustang Cobras after admitting the vehicle’s engine did not produce its advertised 320 horsepower.

The recall came after Mustang Cobra owners complained of a shortfall of as much as 50 horsepower. Ford traced the power problem to the engines cast aluminum intake manifold and its exhaust system.