The new One Ford mantra is spreading to the race track – as the Blue Oval sends its motorsport division global too.
Announced at the 2010 SEMA show, the Fiesta R2 rally car will now be available in North America for the first time. And the all-new Ford Focus touring car (pictured) will race globally – it’s anticipated to be in the 2011 British Touring Car Championship.
Ford plans to coordinate and support private race teams around the world and is promising to help teams adapt the car to worldwide touring car categories.
The Ford Fiesta R2: the lowdown
Ford’s US motorsport team will offer up the Fiesta’s R2 kit, increasing the performance of the 1.6-litre Ti-VCT four-cylinder engine: pistons, conrods, camshafts, valve springs, injectors, airbox, air filter and a sump baffle kit take power and torque to 168bhp and 134lb ft, a 40% increase.
US enthiasiasts will now be able to mod their roadgoing Fiestas ready for rallying, so they can compete in the Fiesta SportTrophy series, which will form part of the Rally America National Championships coming in 2011.
The rally kit, developed by UK-based M-Sport, is already available throughout Europe and the FST series and operates at national championship level in up to 10 countries globally.
The American motorsport boss speaks
‘The spirit of One Ford is making it possible for us to bring the best of European rallying to competitors in the U.S,’ said Jamie Allison, director of Ford’s North America motorsport programme. ‘The Fiesta R2 has proven itself in Europe as a great platform for aspiring rally drivers.’
This global motorsport approach reflects the One Ford strategy with the company’s road cars. When CEO Alan Mulally took over, there were 97 badges in Ford’s global line-up – it’s now compressing that down to just 20-25.