Ford Plans

[nrc]

According to Nicky Grist on Speed's WRC coverage Ford will make an announcement this Tuesday or next about their WRC program and possibly their entire motorsports commitment for the next three years. Not sure if that would include their US programs or not.

[Railbird]

Ford has been a welcome partner through this latest row but history shows that close links to major (particularly American) manufactures is risky business at best.

"Who's this Eddie Irvine"

[RTKar]

Throughout the history of racing Mfg's have come and gone and in today's economic climate a total withdrawl by Ford from all racing but NASCAR wouldn't surprise me.

[cart7]

I'm not sure Ford would've wasted the time and money to produce the GT car, which essentially re-tied Ford to racing in something other than Nascar, if they were going to withdraw completely from all racing except Nascar. Maybe they're going to go from a factory development/support company and merely put the Ford badge on individual series as a sponsor only. Who knows?

[Forza Lancia]

According to Rally-Live (http://rally.racing-live.com/en/), Ford has not only made a commitment for another four years, but they've unveiled a very nice 2006 Focus world rally car. I wonder who the drivers will be, though -- I thought Martin had signed for Peugeot, and Duval for Citroen, during the weeks when Ford sounded as though they were about to terminate their rally program.

[Cam]

According to Rally-Live (http://rally.racing-live.com/en/), Ford has not only made a commitment for another four years, but they've unveiled a very nice 2006 Focus world rally car. I wonder who the drivers will be, though -- I thought Martin had signed for Peugeot, and Duval for Citroen, during the weeks when Ford sounded as though they were about to terminate their rally program.

Still have a quality driver in some guy by the name of McRae drifting around out there without a ride. :gomer: Any news on how Richard Burns is doing?

[Dirty Sanchez]

McRae is testing a Skoda. Skoda and Mitsu are also confirmed for next year.

Ford back for 4 more years is good news :thumbup:

[Cam]

McRae is testing a Skoda. Skoda and Mitsu are also confirmed for next year.

He has not signed on the dotted line...... yet! :p

[jonovision_man]

So the announcement came and went, but no mention of Champ Car's Ford future?

jono

[oddlycalm]

I'm not sure Ford would've wasted the time and money to produce the GT car, which essentially re-tied Ford to racing in something other than Nascar, if they were going to withdraw completely from all racing except Nascar.It's not surprising to me at all. They have had no idea which direction they were going in for years. Management of the US auto companies has been mostly dreadful for decades now. They have had a myopic focus on quarterly results and the share price and seem to lack anything resembling a strategic plan. Ford needs someone of the Jack Welch caliber to spend 10yrs there and establish a top management team, direction and structure capable of taking the company forward. Their last big investments in their own plants occurred around 15yrs ago in the late 80's. Ford is now in danger of losing critical mass in an industry where smaller companies are no longer viable.

oc

[tllips]

Their last big investments in their own plants occurred around 15yrs ago in the late 80's. Ford is now in danger of losing critical mass in an industry where smaller companies are no longer viable.

oc

I'm certainly no expert on Ford, but isn't the '05 Mustang being built in a brand new, state of the art, facility? I seem to remember the last '04 rolling off the line and they were saying the plant was closing because it was too archaic.

[nrc]

The Dearborn plant where Mustangs have been made for ages is being closed. Mustang assembly will be done at the Ford/Mazda plant in Flat Rock. Much newer plant, but not brand new.

[Sean O'Gorman]

http://www.speedtv.com/_assets/library/img/large/46573_fordwrc.jpg

135% less ugly than the previous Focus. Not that it means anything for WRC, but it'd make the Focus almost seem appealing as a new car.

[Cam]

135% less ugly than the previous Focus. Not that it means anything for WRC, but it'd make the Focus almost seem appealing as a new car.

Why is it that the US version of the Focus is a piece of crap and the Euro version is cool? At least Subaru offers the WRC version here.

[nrc]

The current WRC Focus uses a version of the US front facia because the bumper extension supposedly allows it to make more downforce. As usual the Euro-version is cleaner. Thank your insurance company for insisting that you should be able to ram stuff without damage.