Ford reveals new global image for racing and motorsports

Ford has had racing and motorsports in the blood for over 100 years, since the debut of the original 999 in 1901 through the 1960s, when GT40s repeatedly won at Le Mans and including today's range of Ford-powered racing cars all over the globe.

Now that Ford is globalizing its products and marketing with vehicles bringing the best automotive attributes from around the world together, it has just today announced a new image for all Ford-powered race cars, reflecting the global product strategy.

“Racing Ford products predates the Ford Motor Company, as Henry Ford himself raced and won in 1901 to generate interest for the company he was trying to start,” said Jamie Allison, director of Ford Racing. “We haven’t stopped racing for over 110 years - in sports cars, off-road trucks, rallies, stock cars, open-wheel cars, drag racing and lately even action sports like drifting and rallycross. Everywhere drivers compete, Ford is there.”

A new look for Ford Racing
Ford Racing is adopting the signature look introduced on the new 2013 Fusion, identifiable by the distinctive blue and black stripe that will distinguish Ford Racing efforts beginning with the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series launch at the 2013 Daytona 500.

In keeping with Ford’s globalization strategy the treatment will be applied to a variety of Ford race vehicles, including NASCAR Fusion and Mustang models, NHRA Mustang Funny Car, GRAND-AM Focus ST-R, Rally America Fiesta, BITD off-road F-150, CTCC Focus as well as the V8 Supercar Falcon.

While Ford Racing prototypes like the Fusion and concepts, such as the Mustang Cobra Jet Twin-Turbo, will be trimmed with a wide, offset black and blue stripes running the length of the white cars.

Development cars will have the same black and blue stripes over a matte black base instead of white.

The flanks of all Ford Racing vehicles will feature a rising black wedge with the blue and black identifier bars on the rear pillar. A variation that incorporates the classic striking Cobra is found on the Mustang Cobra Jet Twin-Turbo concept being shown at the 2012 SEMA show in Las Vegas, this week.

Going forward, the blue and black bars will be a consistent element of all Ford-powered racecars participating in contingency programs including sports car racing. The bars and stripes will tell fans they are in the presence of a car supported by Ford Racing.

Ford Global push
For the last six years, Ford Motor Company has transformed into a much more focused automaker offering a complete line of fuel efficient, high quality products built and sold in the global market. Ford Racing exists to support and celebrate the Ford brand.

Now thanks to a wide range of award-winning EcoBoost engines with three, four and six-cylinder layouts, a global design language led by the all-new 2013 Fusion and smart technology like SYNC is evolving. Further, Ford is consolidating all of its production vehicles under the famous blue oval.

“Earlier this year, we reached out to all forms of racing around the world to showcase EcoBoost with a new common livery on the race cars,” stated Allison. “We’re using racing to reach out to enthusiasts, reinforcing the message about the unification of Ford into a single, more focused manufacturer powered by exciting, fuel efficient and high performance turbocharged engines.”

“We’re bringing together our production vehicles under the global Ford banner, and we’re mirroring that by creating a visual connection everywhere we race around the world,” Allison concluded.