Used Ford models in New York may receive additional attention after Pat Schiavone, Ford Motor Company’s chief truck designer, announced that he will be resigning from the company in early 2010.

Ford spokeswoman Marcey Evans confirmed Shiavone’s resignation on Monday, stating that he was leaving the organization for an opportunity within a different industry.

According to PickupTrucks.com, Ford’s North American Truck and SUV design director will be leaving the company to take on a new position with the appliance manufacturer Whirlpool.

Schiavone has worked for the company for the past 21 years and was responsible for the designing the 2002 F-350 Tonka Truck and the F-150 Lightning Rod, among others. He is also credited with re-designing the 1994 Mustang, Autonews.com reports.

Shiavone continues the trend of recent departures from Ford’s senior design team. Earlier in the year, GT designer Camilo Pardo left the company after 24 years of service. Peter Horbury, executive director of Ford Americas, recently announced his return to lead vehicle design at Volvo.

Interest in used Ford models in New York may grow following the news of another key employee moving on from the company.

Marcus Gronholm, World Rally Championship (WRC) star, recently announced he would be driving his Focus RS in Sweden’s WRC event this February, which could get fans excited about used Ford models in New York.

Unfortunately, Ford’s 305-horsepower Focus RS is only sold in Europe for the time being, according to AutoWeek. While the manufacturer is considering bringing it over to the U.S. in the future, right now one of the best Focuses available to Americans is the model built by the company’s Special Vehicle Team – appropriately badged the SVT.

Edmunds says the Focus SVT is no longer manufactured, meaning car shoppers who find one for sale should think long and hard about whether or not passing up a chance to buy the hatch is a good idea. The first SVTs rolled out of Ford factories in late 2001, complete with 170-horsepower four-cylinder motors and six-speed manual gearboxes. The three letters added next to the Focus emblem meant the compact had received 25 more HP than stock and 17-inch alloys instead of 15-inch steel wheels.

Jared Holstein of Modified Magazine says Ford was going after the Honda Civic Si and the Sentra SE-R when it began building the SVT. In the late 1990s, automakers realized car shoppers wanted vehicles that could play two roles: that of the daily driver, and that of the weekend racer. Doing both without costing the consumer an arm and a leg of course meant compromising some power and performance for measures that would increase reliability and fuel efficiency. This meant Ford couldn’t simply place a Cobra motor in a base model Focus, even if such a thing had been possible. Precise modifications were the objective.

Ford said the SVT’s 2-liter Zetec engine was its most technologically advanced, reports Modified. The motor used variable cam timing on the intake cam and a dual-stage intake manifold to increase low-end torque.

Speaking of other customizations made by SVT to the early generation Focus, the ZX3, Ford program manager Andy Slankard told the publication, “Due to the ZX3’s excellent chassis and suspension design, we didn’t have to make any major changes – just some tuning to give us extra control, agility and precision.”

Indeed, the SVT was no ordinary Focus and could remain Ford’s feistiest hatch, unless the automaker gives in and brings the RS to the U.S. Either way, with news of Gronholm’s entrance in Sweden’s February WRC event, used Ford Focuses in New York could start attracting more attention.

Used Ford models in New York could benefit from the Ford Foundation’s efforts to support of the country’s economy.

The recession has cost many Americans their jobs and led them into deep levels of debt, prompting the Ford Foundation to launch a five-year, $80 million effort to stabilize the financial situations of families in the U.S. The project concentrates on improving employment opportunities for low-wage workers and modernizing the public programs that Americans need when they are having difficulty supporting their families.

“Millions of Americans are working hard to build economic security for their families, yet antiquated labor policies actually set them up to fail,” said Luis Ubinas, president of the Ford Foundation. “These grants are about building a smarter system that rewards responsibility and brings basic economic security within reach of more workers.”

Edsel Ford, the former president of the Ford Motor Company, chartered the Ford Foundation in 1936, according to FordFound.org. Since its inception, the foundation has distributed more than $15 billion worldwide. It’s possible that such philanthropy has contributed to the popularity of used Ford models in New York.

Used Ford Mustangs in New York could start attracting attention now that car buyers know Queen Latifah is a fan of the 2010 GT.

The music video for Latifah’s new song Fast Car was recently released and the artist prepared for filming it on the track, says Entertainment Tonight.

“I am at home on the racetrack; I love driving,” Latifah told the news source. “I’m a Mustang girl.”

The video also features singers Common, Robin Thicke and Missy Elliott, says the publication. Fast Car is the second track on the Persona album, which was released last summer.

The Mustang that is featured in Latifah’s video is a fifth generation GT model. These vehicles went into production in 2005, according to Automotive.com. The regular ’05 Mustang came equipped with a choice of three engines: a 4-liter, a 4.2-liter and a 4.6-liter, the latter producing 300 horsepower.

Today, car buyers can purchase a base model 2005 Mustang for as little as $5,775, reports the publication. At that price, Queen Latifah fans might start looking for used Ford Mustangs in New York today.