Ford consolidates its global performance arms into one, headed by Mustang chief engineer
The new Ford Focus RS will be just one of 12 new Ford performance vehicles coming to market in the next six years. All fall under the new Ford Performance umbrella, which will cover the Special Vehicles Team (SVT) in the U.S., Europe’s Team RS and Ford Racing globally.
“Ford remains committed to innovation through performance,” said Raj Nair, Ford group vice-president of global product development. “[Ford Performance] will allow us to more quickly introduce products and accessories that meet the needs of customers around the world on-road and on the track.”
Ford CEO Mark Fields casually confirmed today that a new Focus RS is, in fact, happening -- and it'll be sold "to customers in major markets around the world for the first time."That ...
This consolidation move is in line with the company’s One Ford strategy -- a plan performance vehicles are a big part of. Sales in the performance segment are up 70 percent in the U.S., and 14 percent in Europe, since 2009. The deomographic is also getting younger: Ford says millennials are buying ST-branded vehicles at twice the rate of its other cars.
Ford claims the Performance organization will serve as an innovation laboratory, creating unique cars and parts for customers. The team will work at racetracks around the world, as well as at the company’s new technical center in Charlotte, N.C. Future projects will incorporate aerodynamic design, lightweight materials, electronics and performance and efficiency technologies, all of which could potentially be applied across Ford's entire lineup.
Mustang chief engineer Dave Pericak has been appointed global director of Ford Performance, and we already know he’s one of us -- he grabbed No. 8 of the 2015 Mustang 50-Year Limited Edition models.
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